Growing salvia flowers from seeds. Growing perennial salvia

Salvia(Sage) is a plant from the Lamiaceae family, perennial, decorative color, used in medicine, as contains essential oils.

Plants are either annual or perennial. According to flower growers, oak sage is considered very beautiful.

Salvia has about 850 subspecies, and is distributed from Europe to America.

The stem of Salvia is tetrahedral, the flowers are two-lipped, tubular, deep red, flowering begins in June and ends at the time of autumn frosts. Breeders have developed varieties with a stem height of 25–80 cm, and colors that are distinctive from red: Burgundy, pink, white, orange, lilac. Next, a description of everything about the flower , photos of flowers, seedlings, when to plant seedlings into the ground. The amazing Salvia plant, videos and photo collages with these beautiful plants will delight you.

The most popular varieties are Salvia splendens, which is an ornamental species, and Salvia officinalis, which is used in medicine. Each of them has its own purpose:

  • Salvia brilliantis is grown to decorate flower beds, and rock gardens are decorated with plants in pots. These flowers look great with cineraria, marigolds, and lobelia.
  • Medicinal sage is widely used in medicine; various tinctures and extracts are made from the resulting raw materials.

Harvesting leaves must be done before or after flowering. The plants have a pleasant aroma, so overdose should be avoided.

"Salvia divinorum - considered a plant of fortunetellers, and can cause hallucinations"

Photos of Salvia varieties

Sowing the seed

Salvia begins to bloom no earlier than three months after sowing. That's why optimal time for sowing seeds it is February or March. When growing perennial salvia, the time for sowing varies. The seed is sown in the fall, before the onset of frost. Annuals and perennials have no differences in care and do not require special attention. Flower seeds can be purchased either in a store or collected from home specimens.




Seed preparation

Before sowing the seed is needed treat with a solution of potassium permanganate 0.1%. After this, wash the sowing material under running water, then place on a paper or cloth towel and wait until completely dry. Granulated seed purchased in a store does not require pre-treatment.

A protective shell with nutritional properties protects the seeds from damage and simplifies the planting process. Sowing of granulated seeds should be done earlier than usual; the protective layer slightly delays the germination of the seeds.

Salvia flower - planting and care

It is best to produce in light soil saturated with air and moisture, preferably fertilized nutrients.

Ready-made soil is sold in specialized stores, or it is made at home. Prepare the soil mixture, and it is advisable to let it sit for a week before sowing seeds in it.

Recipe for preparing soil at home:

  1. Two parts of turf soil.
  2. One part sifted pitch.
  3. Two parts of peat.

If the soil is highly acidic, you can add a little lime to the mixture (no more than 5%). After this, the mixture must be thoroughly mixed and sifted. Expanded clay, 1.5 cm thick, is poured onto the bottom of the box - this will ensure drainage. Then a large fraction of the mixture is poured, and a finer sifted mixture is placed on top of it.

After this, the soil must be disinfected by watering it with a hot solution of potassium permanganate. The box with the prepared soil must be placed in a tray, and the soil should be leveled. The distance from the top edge of the box to the ground should be more than 2 cm; sow the seeds in fine-grained soil. The rows should be spaced 3 to 5 cm apart from each other.

Granulated seeds should be sown in a square-cluster method, at a distance of 3 cm from each other. Seed immersion depth 2 mm. Spray upper layer soil from a spray bottle. Cover the box with film to create a greenhouse effect.

Sage seedlings sprout after a week and a half, but in some cases after two (it all depends on the seeds and microflora). Granulated seeds can germinate and up to 3 weeks. The soil should not be allowed to dry out, but it should not be flooded either. Watering is done in two ways: either through a tray, or by spraying from a spray bottle. Drainage facilitates the flow of moisture to plants and retains moisture.

Excess moisture harms the condition of the seedlings and will certainly lead to rotting of the roots. In this case, the film must be removed and the ground sprinkled with dry sand or ash. Hatched seedlings must be provided with sufficient light. Additional lighting can be arranged using fluorescent lamp.

The photoperiod for seedlings should be approximately 12 hours

During the night, the temperature should be around 20˚C, during daylight around 25˚C. Around the sprouts, as they grow, you need to add soil. The sprouts should not be allowed to fall. Protect the leaves of the seedlings from contact with drops of water.

Correct use of light and temperature regime, will grow up healthy seedlings. Sprouts can be hardened by removing the film for a certain time, immediately for 10 minutes, later for 15, and so on until it is completely removed. The hardening procedure can only be applied to already strong sprouts.

Planting Salvia in open ground

Salvia will feel comfortable in light sandy soil, but rich in lime, humus, and well permeable to moisture. All types of Salvia love the sun, so the area should not be shaded, only sticky salvia Can grow in shady areas. As soon as the night frosts subsided, and spring sun the earth has warmed up, Salvia can be planted.

How to plant Salvia?

Planting and caring for Salvia can be done even by gardeners with little experience, and planting hardened seedlings will seem like an easy walk. Dig holes at a distance of 25-30 cm from one another, pour 1 handful of humus into them, and transplant the flowers from the pot.

Salvia growing process and care

The Internet is full of videos describing what to do and how to do it, but it’s easy to understand - caring for Salvia is no different from caring for any garden plant, fertilizing the soil, watering, weeding as needed - that’s all necessary actions. It is necessary to water only after the soil has completely dried out from the previous watering, exclusively in the evening; moisture should not be allowed to stagnate in the roots. After watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil and get rid of weeds. It is necessary to feed at least twice: initially the seedlings, the second time during the formation of the peduncle.

Perennial Salvia

It will cause much more trouble than a one-year or two-year-old tree; it additionally needs pruning to give it shape. Trimming will prevent the stems from stretching and promotes bushing of young shoots. When the flowering of perennial Salvia ends, faded flowers must be removed; before the start of the next growing season, old shoots must be cut off on the bushes, leaving 2-3 cm along with young buds.

The Salvia plant is not afraid of fungal diseases. The only and main problem for the plant remains insects: aphids, thrips, whiteflies, spider mites, snails and slugs. These insects cause great harm and can lead to the death of the plant.

Whiteflies easily migrate to flowers if planting is carried out near vegetables. They destroy the leaves and leave the plant to dry out, sucking the juice out of it. The whitefly is capable of covering large areas in a short time.

Without suitable chemical treatment, the flowers die.

If it appears on plants aphid, you need to promptly treat it with an appropriate solution. Aphids for short time is capable of multiplying to destructive proportions and destroying a huge area of ​​sage plantings.

Thrips are very difficult to see; they are almost microscopic in size. If the leaves begin to curl and dry out, this is a sign of the appearance. Thrips can be killed using insecticides. Plants affected by spider mites must be removed and burned at the stake.

Snails and the like love to eat young shoots of leaves. Snails and slugs approach the plant on the ground; the bark of a pine tree, or any other tree, scattered under the plant will help get rid of these pests. You can remove slugs by hand.

Best protection- this is prevention. Prevention should be carried out periodically, weeds and diseased plants should be removed in a timely manner. Spray with tobacco decoction mixed with liquid soap(4 grams of soap per 1 liter of decoction).

Flowering has ended, what to do next?

The beginning of June pleases with the flowering of Salvia, and can continue until the autumn frosts. Some varieties can bloom twice a year. Forest Salvia, fully pruned after flowering and well fed, explodes again with new color in late summer. If Salvia has completely bloomed, you need to prune and mulch the roots. Treat growing points with garden compost, so the plant will survive the winter without stress.

How can we sum it up?

These incredibly beautiful flowers will decorate every garden or flower bed. Behind this beauty is the time and effort spent on growing seedlings. Growing seedlings makes future plants strong and resilient, capable of producing healthy seeds in the future. Healthy cultivation will only occur with proper care and compliance certain rules. Important proper preparation Before growing seedlings, this factor determines future offspring.

Salvia or sage is a herbaceous or shrubby perennial or annual plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The plant is distributed on all continents, with the exception of Australia. Salvia is translated into Russian as “to be healthy”, this is true, because medicinal properties sage have been known for a very long time. Perennial salvia has long become a permanent inhabitant of our garden plots.

Varieties of salvia perennial photo

Blue salvia (Salvia azurea) is a cold-resistant plant (from zone 4). It blooms with small pale blue flowers from July to mid-autumn. There is a large-flowered variety (var. grandiflora), but its cold resistance is slightly lower (from zone 5).

Japanese salvia (Salvia koyamae) is a cold-hardy plant (zone 5) native to Japan. Blooms from August to October with yellow flowers. Prefers partial shade and moist soils.

Swamp salvia (Salvia uliginosa) is a relatively heat-loving (from zone 6) plant with a tuberous root, originating from South America. The elongated leaves, carved along the edges, reach 7 cm in length, and the plant itself can grow up to 2 m in height. Flowers blue-blue color, flowering from late summer to mid-autumn.

Salvia splendens is the most popular salvia among Russian gardeners, grown as an annual. It blooms from June until frost, the color ranges from orange-red to dark purple. Prefers moderately moist soils.

Red salvia (Salvia coccinea) is a heat-loving biennial (zone 8) from South America that loves heat and moist soils. It blooms in late summer - autumn with white, pink or red flowers. Varieties of red varieties are widespread in cultivation: Lady in Red, Forest Fire.

Salvia lavandulifolia is an exclusively ornamental plant with silver foliage and delicate purple flowers in May-June. It is used in cooking and has many properties similar to medicinal sage.

Salvia farinacea is an ornamental heat-loving (from zone 7) plant that blooms luxuriantly from summer to autumn. The flowers are bright blue. Famous variety: Victoria. In colder regions, mealy salvia can be grown as an annual.

Salvia microphylla is a charming heat-loving subshrub (Zone 7) from Mexico. The pale green oval leaves of Salvia parvifolia give off a blackcurrant scent when crushed in your hands. Bright red flowers appear on the plant in mid-summer, flowering continues until the first frost.

Salvia elegans is a tall plant (up to 1 m) with red funnel-shaped flowers that appear in late summer. The leaves of Salvia slender exude fruity aroma, if you rub them in your hands. Salvia slender is used in cooking, for example, in fruit salads or smoothies (fruit cocktails). Winter hardiness of slender salvia is from zone 8. Known varieties: Scarlet Pineapple (with the smell of pineapple), Tangerine Sage (with the smell of tangerine).

Salvia discolored – original plant from Mexico. The blue-black flowers of Salvia discolored remain half hidden in the silvery calyx. Winter hardiness – from zone 10.

Clary sage, clary salvia (Salvia sclarea) is a tall (up to 1 m) beautiful biennial or perennial with large round-oval pubescent aromatic leaves. Clary sage flowers are creamy purple, pink or blue and continue to bloom in spring and summer. The natural form of turkestanica has larger bracts. Clary sage actively reproduces by self-sowing. Cold resistance – from zone 7. Essential oil Clary sage is widely used in the perfume industry and medicine.

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Salvia patens is a heat-loving (zone 9) rhizomatous plant from Mexico. It blooms with bright blue flowers from mid-summer to mid-autumn. Known varieties: Cambridge Blue, Blue Angel. Easily propagated by seeds, blooms the same year. In cold regions it can be grown as an annual.

Mountain salvia (Salvia regla) is a heat-loving (zone 8) plant native to Texas. Relatively recently on sale (since the 1980s), therefore it is still little known to gardeners. A subshrub that grows wider than it is tall. It blooms from late summer to mid-autumn with red flowers.

How to grow salvia

Growing salvia flowers begins with purchasing seeds and preparing the soil. When purchasing seed, we are guided by three rules:

  • We carefully study the shelf life.
  • When choosing a manufacturer, we study reviews and recommendations.
  • To avoid counterfeiting, please show quality certificates.

It is equally important to properly prepare the soil for the future plant. It must contain essential microelements and have an acidic environment. We choose any container for planting: it can be flowerpots, pots or simple boxes. Expanded clay should be placed at the bottom of the selected container, loosely sprinkled with soil on top, not reaching the sides 2 cm. Afterwards everything is closed plastic film and left for a day. Do not try to find out information on how to grow salvia without seedlings, because the fastidious plant will not be able to develop from seeds immediately in open ground.

Salvia seedlings

After the seeds have sprouted, we’ll immediately make a reservation that these will not be very friendly shoots, so don’t be alarmed, this is normal for salvia, we remove the cover from the container and provide 12 hours of lighting, this time cannot be shortened in any way, otherwise the seedlings will thin out and stretch out . If necessary, when there is not enough natural light, artificial lighting can be used.

Control of soil moisture continues, but it should not be waterlogged to avoid rotting of the tender and thin roots. After two weeks, the first fertilizing with complex flower fertilizers is carried out; two of them should be carried out before planting in the ground.

After 1.5 months, a pick should be made, planting the seedlings in another place with a distance of 7 cm from each other, or planting each sprout in a separate pot. If possible, use such small seeds, peat tablets, very convenient and positive result will be guaranteed.

If you want to avoid the hassle with seedlings, you can choose the white marble variety of salvia, the photo of the flowers is simply fabulously beautiful, the issues of propagating seedlings and when to plant, in this case, will not worry you. The fact is that marbled salvia, with its unpretentiousness and cold resistance, can be planted in the ground with seeds already in early April, the plants turn out strong, healthy and with petals with a marble structure.

After the appearance of 4 full leaves, the plant is pinched, thus increasing the number of side shoots.

Caring for salvia in open ground

It is the same for salvia as for any other garden plant. This includes watering, weeding, loosening, fertilizing, and chemical treatment. Flowers should be watered when the soil is noticeably dry, and mainly in the evening. It is not recommended to flood them, because excess moisture is not good for the plants.

There is no need to water these flowers regularly, although in dry times this should be done more often, otherwise the plants will wither. But there is a way out of this situation: you should definitely water the flowers in the evening. After this, the bushes will gain strength again and will delight their owner. For good growth Salvia bushes should be fed twice during the summer. Used for this full complex mineral loot. The first time this technique is used for seedlings, and the second time when the plants enter the budding phase.

Salvia pick

As soon as the flowers have their first leaves, they can be planted in separate containers or pots. It is very important here timely care. Young plants can be grown in the same soil that was used for sowing the seedlings. After planting in separate containers, salvia must be well watered and covered with paper for 2-3 days. After several leaves appear, it is recommended to pinch the salvia, which will result in beautiful plant with a dense crown.

Propagation of salvia by cuttings

Perennial salvias are very easy to propagate from half-woody cuttings; propagation can be carried out by cuttings throughout the entire season. To do this, cuttings about 15 cm long are cut.

Propagation of salvia by air layering

Salvia can also be propagated by air layering. To do this, it is enough to press the branch to the ground, strengthening it with a metal bracket, and after a few months you will notice the appearance of new roots on the cuttings. After roots have formed on the layering, the root can be carefully cut off from the “parent” bush and planted in another place.

Salvia diseases and pests

Now you know how to grow salvia, and all that remains is to say a few words about its possible diseases and pests. This plant gets sick so rarely that many never encounter such problems in their entire cultivation practice. Pests attack it more often. Usually this is a garden aphid, which, if it appears on the site, indiscriminately affects everything, whiteflies or mites. Salvia can also be damaged by snails and slugs. And while insects can be controlled with insecticides, snails and slugs will have to be caught manually.

Helpful advice: Make a trap for snails and slugs by placing containers of beer or fruit juice around the area - the sweetish smell of fermentation will attract pests like a magnet, and they will lose interest in the leaves of the plants.

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Plant salvia (lat. Salvia), or sage- a numerous genus of herbaceous and shrubby perennials of the Lamiaceae or Lamiaceae family, common in tropical and temperate regions of all parts of the world except Australia. The name “salvia” is derived from the Latin “salvus”, which means “to be healthy”, and this is explained by the fact that some types of plants have been used since time immemorial in medicinal purposes. Nothing cures gumboil faster than rinsing with sage infusion.

There are only about 900 representatives of the salvia genus, and they all prefer to grow in bright places. To avoid confusion, medicinal plant and the spice is usually called sage, and ornamental plants of this genus - salvia. And although salvia is also sage, it is used specifically for decorative purposes. Salvia officinalis has been known to people since the times of the Roman Empire, but salvia flowers were brought to Europe only in the 18th century, during the era of the horticultural boom. Separate from other species in the classification is Salvia divinorum, the so-called “predictor's sage,” or narcotic sage, from the leaves of which salvinorin, a psychoactive hallucinogen, is extracted. But in our article we will talk about salvia - an ornamental shrub.

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Planting and caring for salvia (in brief)

  • Landing: sowing seeds in open ground in spring or before winter. Seeds for seedlings are sown from mid-February to early March, and seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of May or beginning of June.
  • Bloom: from June until autumn frosts.
  • Lighting: bright sunlight or partial shade.
  • The soil: rich in lime, light, dry, permeable.
  • Watering: evening, after the top layer of soil has dried.
  • Feeding: the first time - during the seedling period with a weak solution of complex mineral fertilizer, the second time - during the budding period.
  • Reproduction: annual and biennial species - only by seeds, perennials - by seeds, dividing the bush and stem cuttings.
  • Pests: thrips, aphids, spider mites, whiteflies, snails and slugs.
  • Diseases: peronosporosis, root canker, rust, powdery mildew, chlorosis, fusarium wilt, rhizoctonia.

Read more about growing salvia below.

Salvia flower - description

The salvia flower is a rhizomatous plant, perennial by nature, but in our latitudes it is almost always grown as an annual or biennial, and although some species tolerate winter well in the garden, in winters without or little snow they freeze. The stems of salvia are erect or ascending, tetrahedral, sometimes reaching a height of 120 cm. The leaves are entire, sometimes pinnately dissected, located opposite on the petioles, the upper side of the plate is darker green, the lower side is whitish.

In the photo: Purple salvia

Small flowers are collected at the ends of the stems in complex whorled spike-shaped or paniculate inflorescences 15-20 cm long; brightly colored bracts - pink, white, lilac or violet - attract the eye. The salvia fruit consists of four nuts. Salvia seeds reach maturity a month after the start of flowering and remain viable for up to five years.

Growing salvia from seeds

When to sow salvia

Annual and biennial salvia are grown from seeds; perennial salvia is propagated by both seeds and by vegetative means- dividing the bush or cuttings. Growing salvia from seeds involves using both seedling and non-seedling methods. With the seedless method, the seeds are sown in the ground before winter or in spring.

But such a species, for example, as shiny salvia, or sparkling salvia (Salvia splendens), reproduces exclusively by seedlings.

By the way, in stores as planting material They sell both seeds and granules, which, in addition to the seed, contain substances that make the seedlings stronger and more resilient, but the granules germinate more slowly than a regular seed. When is the best time to sow salvia seedlings? Sowing salvia in boxes is carried out from mid-February to early March.

In the photo: Growing salvia in a flower bed

Salvia seedlings

Seeds or granules are sown in moist, loose soil superficially or to a depth of no more than 2 mm, the content temperature is about 25 ºС. You will have to water the crops in a tray or from a sprayer, and to keep the soil moist longer, cover the box with the crops with paper. Shoots will appear within two weeks or a month. Your next task is to grow seedlings with a strong root system, which will allow the plant to quickly take root in the soil.

To do this, the seedlings are dived twice:

  • the first time, when two or three true leaves appear, the sprouts are transplanted into another box at a distance of 5 cm from each other, deepening them into the soil up to the cotyledon leaf;
  • the second time, the seedlings are transplanted three weeks after the first picking into separate pots with a diameter of 10-12 cm.

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When the third or fourth true leaf develops, the shoots are pinched to stimulate tillering. From April, you can begin hardening the seedlings, for which the night temperature is lowered to 10 ºС.

In the photo: Red salvia

Planting salvia

When to plant salvia

Salvia prefers light sandy soil, which is rich in lime, humus and permeable. The site should be sunny, since all types of salvia are sun-loving, and only salvia adhesive can grow in partial shade. Salvia seedlings are planted in the ground when the threat of night frosts has subsided - approximately at the beginning of June.

How to plant salvia

Planting and caring for salvia will not seem difficult even to novice gardeners, especially since hardened seedlings prepared for life in the garden tolerate replanting well. Add a handful of humus to each hole, dug at a distance of 25-30 cm from each other, before transferring the salvia bush from the pot.

Salvia care

How to grow salvia

Salvia care includes the same gardening work same as caring for any garden plant - watering, weeding, loosening the soil, fertilizing. All this work must be done as the need arises. Water the soil when the soil under the salvia dries out well after the previous watering, and only in the evening, but do not pour too much water, since the plant does not tolerate stagnation of moisture in the roots. Some time after watering, loosen the soil and remove weeds, if any.

Fertilizing from complex mineral fertilizers are applied at least twice during the summer: the first time the seedlings are fed with a weak solution, the second time during the formation of buds.

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Perennial salvia will give you more trouble than one-year-old or two-year-old (sown with seeds before winter), since it also requires formative pruning, which will not allow the shoots to stretch out and become bare, and stimulates tillering and growth of young shoots. When the perennial salvia has finished blooming, remove the faded flowers from the bush, and before winter dormancy or at the beginning of the next growing season, give the salvia a pruning: cut off the old woody shoots so that only a few centimeters of buds and young greenery remain.

In the photo: Blue salvia

Pests and diseases of salvia

Salvia is so rarely affected by diseases that there is no point in talking about it. As for pests, sometimes the plant is affected by whiteflies, thrips, aphids or mites, as well as slugs and snails that eat the tender foliage of salvia.

Snails And slugs need to be removed mechanically: collect them by hand; place bait in the form of pieces of slate or rags, under which slugs will crawl; You can place containers of beer or fruit juice around the area, covering them with an improvised umbrella that protects the contents from rain and debris. Gastropods crawl in response to a pleasant smell, and you can collect a decent harvest of these pests.

In the photo: How salvia blooms

Insects will have to be controlled with insecticides that correspond to each pest.

Salvia after flowering

Salvia flowering begins in June, and sometimes ends with autumn frosts - it is different for each species. Some of the salvias are capable of blooming twice a year.

For example, forest salvia, if completely pruned after flowering, will bloom again in late summer, especially if it is fed.

But if the salvia has completely faded, carry out autumn pruning perennial salvia and mulch the area, especially the growing points, with garden compost so that the plant can easily survive the winter. Young salvias need to be additionally covered with spruce branches or dry leaves.

Types and varieties of salvia

According to agrotechnical characteristics and biological features Scientists divide salvia species into three groups. The first includes representatives of the American subtropics, which, for obvious reasons, are grown in our climate as annuals. These species prefer wet soil and cannot tolerate even light frosts. The first group includes:

Salvia splendens

Or Salvia splendor – height from 20 to 80 cm densely leafy compact bushes, leaves are opposite, entire, ovate, petiolate, dark green on top and light green on the bottom of the leaf blade. Large, irregularly shaped flowers with a double perianth are collected in whorls of 2-6 pieces in racemes 14-25 cm long. Both the calyx and corolla are most often bright red, but they can also be white, purple and pink. Blooms from June until autumn frosts.

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Variety salvia sparkling white differs from the fiery red one in that the inflorescence is not so dense and in that against the background of the white corolla the calyx looks creamy.

Pink salvia differs in a shorter inflorescence than red salvia, and the corolla and calyx are colored the same pink color, but the corolla has a velvety texture.

In the photo: Sparkling or shiny Salvia (Salvia splendens)

Purple sparkling salvia is a very striking variety, since the deep purple color of the flowers is enhanced by their velvety feel, created by dense pubescence.

The most popular varieties of sparkling salvia: Fire Star, Red Arrows, Salvator, Sahara.

Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea)

50-70 cm high, stems straight, densely pubescent and branched, leaves petiolate, ovate, finely serrate along the edges, pubescent below, glabrous above. Loose inflorescences 15-30 cm long consist of whorled flowers with a scarlet-red corolla and long tube. This salvia blooms from July until frost. Varieties: “Lady in Red up to 40 cm high with bright red flowers, Sherry blossom - early variety the same height, but with pink flowers.

In the photo: Bright red salvia (Salvia coccinea)

Salvia farinacea

A long-flowering, non-capricious plant, 60-90 cm tall, looking like a pyramidal bush. The leaves are petiolate, oblong-ovate, pubescent only along the veins, entire. Inflorescences on tall peduncles reach a length of 15-20 cm and consist of 5-28 flowers up to 2 cm long. The corolla is usually dark blue, but sometimes white. This species blooms from mid-August to late autumn. Varieties: Anschuld (silver-white flowers), Strata (compact bush with blue flowers), Victoria (lush blooming variety with dark blue flowers).

The second group consists of species of Mediterranean origin. They are more cold-resistant and drought-resistant. They grow best on loose soils and respond gratefully to mineral fertilizing.

In the photo: Salvia farinacea

Green salvia (Salvia viridis)

Or salvia variegated – in this species, only the Horminum variety (var. Horminum) with brightly colored bracts is decorative. This is an annual plant 40-60 cm high with numerous straight branching stems covered with glandular fluff. The leaves are petiolate, oblong-elliptical, also pubescent. Simple inflorescences 18-30 cm long, they consist of false whorls with 4-6 flowers with a pink corolla, but the color of the bracts attracts the eye - juicy purple or bright pink. Varieties: White Swan (white salvia with pinkish or purple bracts), Oxford Blue with blue-violet bracts, Pink Sandy with pink bracts.

In the photo: Green or variegated salvia (Salvia viridis)

Salvia verticillata

35-40 cm high with straight or ascending densely pubescent stems, long-petioled pubescent leaves of unusual shape and flowers in dense whorls of 5-30 pieces with a lilac-blue corolla. The Purple Rain variety has flowers with a dark purple corolla and purple calyxes.

In the photo: Salvia verticillata

Salvia dandelion (Salvia taraxacifolia)

It is a herbaceous species with a basal rosette of leaves. The stems are straight, not particularly branched, all parts of the plant emit a pleasant aroma. The leaves are pinnately dissected, irregularly serrate along the edges, bare on top and pubescent on the underside of the leaf blade. Simple inflorescences up to 28 cm long consist of whorls with several flowers with a pale pink corolla, a greenish-green throat with purple specks.

In the photo: Salvia dandelion (Salvia taraxacifolia)

The second group also includes Salvia jurisicii , not of particular interest to gardeners.

At proper cultivation and caring for salvia, this plant will delight you all summer on the site, and in the winter - in the room. The fact is that up to 90 flowers ripen on one peduncle, gradually blooming, and their flowering continues throughout the summer season. And even when they fall, bright flower stalks remain on the stem. And with the onset of cold weather, salvia can be transplanted into, and it will continue to bloom brightly on your windowsill.

What do salvia flowers look like?

Here you can read the description of salvia flowers and learn about its cultivation:

Bushes reverse pyramidal in shape, densely leafy, compact. Each shoot ends in a large inflorescence.

Leaves with a strongly elongated apex, petiolate, opposite.

Root system well developed. Taproot produces many lateral roots, from which a large number of very thin roots arise.

Inflorescence - brush.

Traditional coloring - red. The peduncle is densely pubescent with small red hairs, its length is up to 20 cm. The inflorescence develops from 30 to 90 flowers.

See what salvia looks like in the photo below:

Gardeners are flower plant valued for the bright red color of the flowers and long flowering, used for flower beds, ridges, window sills, garden and potting.

The best place to plant salvia in the ground

When planting salvia in the ground, it is necessary to take into account that it is a heat-loving, light-loving and moisture-loving plant. Very sensitive to the smallest sub-zero temperatures and dies in light frosts. The best place for planting salvia - open, sunny places. Very sensitive to lack of moisture.

The plant prefers loose, nutritious soils, but not wet ones. Plants heavily fertilized with humus develop a rich vegetative mass with a small number of flowers. Flowering occurs 100-120 days after sowing and continues until the first frost. Flowers bloom gradually on the inflorescence from bottom to top.

In conditions southern region seeds ripen on shoots of the first, second and partially third order. In 1 year there are up to 180 of them. Germination remains from 2 to 5 years.

When growing salvia from seeds, remember that it is a cross-pollinating plant.

It is pollinated by bees, bumblebees, flies, ants and other insects. A lot of seeds are set. They ripen a month after the start of flowering. Since they are placed at the bottom of an open cup, the ripened seeds easily fall out of it onto the ground, so they are collected in several stages as they are ready.

How to grow salvia flowers from seeds

How to grow salvia from seeds personal plot? This flower is grown through. Seed germination is unfriendly, so it is better to sow them in boxes and keep them under glass for the first time. Seedlings are planted in flower beds after the end of frost (for us - no earlier than May 10-15). She tolerates the transplant well. To obtain early flowering, sowing is done in February.

The optimal temperature for seed germination is +20…+25 °C. While creating necessary conditions For planting and caring for salvia, shoots appear in 7-10 days. It is recommended to sow seeds for seedlings in early February, followed by picking. By the time the plants are planted in the ground (May), they already have buds, because the hybrid begins flowering 12-13 weeks after sowing. The distance between plants in the flower garden is 20-35 cm.

An individual flower blooms for 2-3 days, but the inflorescences do not lose their decorative effect for a long time thanks to the bright calyxes.

In the fall, before the onset of frost, salvia can be transplanted into pots with a clod of soil - and it will delight you with its abundant flowering in the room for a long time.

Types and varieties of salvia with photos

Low-growing salvia has several varieties, characterized by an accelerated development cycle (they bloom 60-65 days after sowing):

"Fire ball" - compact bush, 35-40 cm wide, 40-50 cm high. The inflorescences are loose, bright red, their length is 17-20 cm.

"Vesuvius" - the shape and height of the bush are the same, but the leaves are large, length 7-10 cm, width 6-9 cm. The inflorescences are smaller and denser, bloom in the first half of August.

"Zurich" - differs from “Fireball” in the number of inflorescences on the main stem (up to 100), more powerful growth and late flowering.

Now there are varieties of salvia with purple flowers:

"Rio" - annual plant 25-30 cm high. Purple flowers and stem.

"Splendes pink." One of the most popular plants. Light- and moisture-loving. Blooms from June until frost. annual plant 25-30 cm high. Purple flowers and stem.

"Parade". Hybrid seeds of sparkling or shiny salvia have appeared on sale - the “Parade” variety, which is a mixture of plants with different flower colors. This hybrid is very different early flowering and plant uniformity.

As you can see in the photo, this salvia variety is a compact bush 35 cm high and 38 cm wide:

Wide range of vibrant colors such as scarlet, hot pink, light pink, purple and white. The seeds of this hybrid are of very high quality. They are smaller than ordinary salvia, there are 270 pieces in 1g.

Another type of salvia - Horminum , which is also grown from seeds through seedlings, has a completely original color, unlike the traditional red plant.

Pay attention to the photo - salvia flowers of this species have bright multi-colored bracts (pink, blue, lilac, white).

Plants of this type of salvia are low-growing (35-50 cm), good for decorating flower beds, and. They are also heat-loving, light-loving and moisture-loving, but, unlike other salvias, they are cold-resistant. Flowering is long-lasting, beginning 70-100 days after emergence.

So that your balcony or garden is buried in pink clouds from June until frost, be sure to find a place for Salvia Lavender. Its flowers resemble fluffy tails, and therefore it can become a highlight.