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Many are accustomed to associate sage only with a medicinal plant. And few people know that for many centuries the shrub has been bred for decorative purposes. What is brilliant salvia, and how to grow it on a personal plot, our article will tell.
Description of salvia brilliant
The ancient Romans knew about sage (salvia or silvia). However, the Old and New Worlds began to grow this plant only in the 25th century. Highly ornamental shrub with many colors belongs to the Lamiaceae family. As a rule, it is a one- or two-year-old plant 80–XNUMX cm high, with a powerful root system.
Upright tetrahedral stems are densely covered with elongated whole leaves on long petioles. The upper part of the leaf plate has a dark green color, and the lower part casts a silvery tint.
From mid-summer to late autumn, salvia produces lush spike-shaped inflorescences up to 20 cm long, consisting of 30–90 small tubular flowers. Later, sage produces dark brown fruits in the form of four-lobed nuts.
Common varieties
There are more than 900 varieties of sage that grow almost all over the planet. Below we give a description of the most popular varieties of sparkling salvia.
Fire ball
Undersized sage no larger than 0,5 m. It grows in compact bushes with a diameter of 30–40 cm. Spike-shaped inflorescences occupy a third of the length of the stem, painted in a bright fiery shade with a coral sheen.
Vesuvius
It belongs to varieties whose height does not exceed 50 cm. The leaves are large, up to 10 cm long and 9 cm wide. Starting from the first decade of August, the plant is covered with dense ears of rich scarlet color.
Bonfire
Sparkling salvia of a bright coral shade with dense inflorescences. An annual shrub grows up to 0,6 m, forming compact bushes with a diameter of 45–55 cm. Sage retains high decorative qualities from mid-summer to late autumn.
Carabiner
A low-growing plant, only 30 cm high. Due to its small size, it can be planted with a minimum distance between the bushes. From July until the first frost, salvia is covered with red-orange bright spikes.
Zurich
A tall variety ranging in size from 60 to 70 cm. It belongs to varieties with a late flowering period. The length of large inflorescences of a juicy red-coral hue is almost half the length of the stem.
Scarlet
Low-growing salvia, no more than 30 cm high. Lush diamond-shaped inflorescences are painted in a dark scarlet shade. The leaves are large, bright green. Scarlet retains its decorative qualities from mid-summer to late autumn.
Rio
The size of the shrub ranges from 25 to 30 cm. Spike-shaped short inflorescences, as well as the Rio sage stem itself, have a rich lilac hue. Leaf blades are strongly elongated, with pointed edges.
Splendes pink
Low-growing variety 0,3 m high with large dark green leaves. During the flowering period, which begins in the second decade of July and ends with the first frosts, the shrub is covered with purple-lilac dense spikes.
Charm pink
Brilliant salvia of a bright pink color, no larger than 0,3 m. The variety has a reverse pyramidal shape. Compact bushes bloom in mid-July, continuing to retain their decorative qualities until late autumn.
Chorminum
Low-growing frost-resistant sage 0,5 m high. Compact shrub from July to the first frost is covered with multi-colored spikes. The plant can combine snow-white, blue, lilac or pink shades.
Dwarf
A miniature variety, the size of which does not exceed 25 cm. It is distinguished by an unusual variegated color. Dense spike-shaped inflorescences of Salvia sparkling Dwarf are painted in a scarlet hue with white stains.
Video “Salvia brilliant in nature and in the country”
This video talks about the features of growing a highly ornamental shrub.
Cultivation of cultivated sage
Flower lovers love sage for its unpretentiousness and minimal care requirements. The plant is able to adapt to any climatic conditions without losing its decorative effect.
Sowing dates in 2019 according to the lunar calendar
In order for the brilliant salvia to grow well, bloom profusely and hurt less, flower growers recommend using the lunar calendar when growing it. Favorable dates for sowing planting material in 2019 will be:
- February 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25;
- March 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20;
- 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 29, 30 April.
It is better to transplant young seedlings in open ground:
- May 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28;
- 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 June.
You should not plant sage on the following days:
- February 4, 5, 19;
- March 6, 7, 21;
- 5, 19 April;
- 5, 19 of May;
- 3, 4, 17 June.
Soil preparation for sowing
The soil for growing salvia should be with good permeability, lightweight, nutritious. The plant will feel comfortable in the soil mixture, where, in addition to ordinary soil, peat and humus are present. At the same time, acidity should be maintained at a pH level of 5,5–6,5.
To reduce the risk of developing diseases, the soil must be disinfected before sowing. For this, a manganese solution is used to moisten the substrate.
Author’s advice
Seed sowing
Sowing for seedlings is carried out from February to March. Salvia seeds are mixed with sand and spread in a thin layer on the surface of the soil. Containers with planting material are covered with glass or polyethylene, forming a kind of greenhouse. At a temperature of + 22 … + 25 ° C, the first sprouts are waiting. Then the film is removed, exposing the seedlings to the sun’s rays.
Regular watering of young shoots is best done with a spray bottle to protect the plant from waterlogging. A pick is made after the appearance of the first 2-3 leaves. After planting each specimen in separate containers, after 10–14 days, the salvia is fed for the first time.
Landing in open ground
Transplant decorative sage into flower beds starting in the first days of May. The soil for planting is loosened, fertilized, a small amount of lime, humus, sand is added. 14 days before planting, the seedlings are gradually hardened.
Sparkling salvia is best planted in sunny areas of the garden. Planting holes are dug at intervals of at least 20 cm. A drainage layer of expanded clay is laid out on the bottom. Having placed the seedling in the hole, it is sprinkled with soil mixture with the addition of wood ash and mineral fertilizers.
Watering and feeding
Although salvia is a moisture-loving plant, you should not water the flowers often. Regular moistening is necessary only before the budding period. Further, sage can do without irrigation at all. Thus, it will form into a compact, profusely flowering bush with a bright color.
You need to fertilize the shrub throughout the season. During the formation of shoots, organic nitrogen fertilizers are used. When laying buds and flowering, potassium-phosphorus compounds are added. Top dressing with complex preparations is carried out every 2-3 weeks.
Trimming
To give the ornamental shrub the desired shape, as well as stimulate flowering, it must be cut off periodically. Timely removal of shoots will contribute to the active growth of sage. At the same time, the stems will no longer stretch upwards, growing only in breadth.
Before wintering, final pruning is carried out. It consists in removing faded ears and stiff twigs.
Care after flowering
Often, salvia is left in the flower bed for the winter. Cropped bushes are mulched with compost and covered with dry leaves or spruce branches. Thus, the plant will endure the winter well, without freezing even in severe frosts. However, some growers dig up the sage, keeping the rhizome in a dark, dry place until it warms up.
Features of reproduction
In addition to the seed method, sparkling salvia can be propagated by cuttings. The process consists of the following steps:
- sprigs 10–15 cm long are split off from an adult flower;
- the cuttings are lowered into the water and left for 1,5–2 weeks;
- wilted leaves are regularly cut off;
- after the process gives roots 2 cm in size, it is transplanted into open ground.
There is also another, less popular breeding method – dividing the bush. The donor plant is dug up, the rhizomes are carefully separated and planted in a new place.
Some flower growers practice branch propagation. The green shoot of salvia, without separating it from the bush, is partially sprinkled with earth. When it forms its own root system, the process is cut off and transplanted separately.
Since salvia is a sparkling plant that pollinates easily, it is better not to plant different varieties close to each other.
Pests and diseases of salvia brilliant
Decorative sage is very resistant to many fungal diseases. Occasionally, it can suffer from downy mildew, blackleg or rot. To eliminate the infection, it is enough to treat the shrub with a special fungicide.
Most often, salvia is attacked by insect pests:
- aphid;
- whiteflies;
- pincers;
- thrips.
Insecticide treatment will help to cope with them. But you can get rid of slugs and snails only mechanically, collecting parasites by hand.
Unlike other species of the sage genus, brilliant salvia does not have medicinal properties. However, due to its bright aesthetics, it serves as a decoration for any garden or summer cottage.