For:
By: Daniel E. Mullins
Extension Horticulture Agent
Look to the Salvias for Season Long Color
The Salvia genus, also known as sage, makes up a large group of interesting plants. There are more than 750 species of annuals, perennials and biennials, including evergreen, semi-evergreen, sub-shrub and shrub species.
There are Salvias for many different purposes. Salvia officinalis and Salvia sclarea have been used for perfumery and medicinal purposes. Salvia officinalis is the common garden sage with aromatic leaves that are dried and used for seasoning.
Most often, Salvias are used as ornamental plants. Ranging in size from 2 to 4 feet, depending upon the species, they are prized for their brightly colored, two lipped, tubular flowers and aromatic foliage.
Salvia splendens known as scarlet sage, is the best known and most commonly used. It is a low growing bushy perennial that is grown locally as an annual. It produces red flowers during late spring, summer and early fall.
Other Salvias should receive more attention and use by local gardeners. Salvia greggii for example, grows to a shrub form and produces red or purple flowers all summer. Specimens that I have observed flower until the first freeze.
Many other species and cultivars of Salvia should be given a try. There is a wide range of flower color choices including red, pink, blue, yellow and white.
Salvia
Growing at a Glance
● All Salvias prefer full, direct sunlight, so choose areas for planting that receive at least 6 hours of sun per day.
● Choose a well drained planting area. Salvias do not like wet feet and are quite drought tolerant once well established.
● Prepare the area to be planted by tilling to a six inch depth. Incorporate soil amendments such as peat, compost or manure.
● Obtain container grown plants and transplant them in the spring after the soil has warmed up and stabilized. Mid to late spring is a good time for establishment.
● Space so that plants have good air circulation and room to develop. The recommended distance between plants will vary, depending upon species. Some reach a height and width of one foot, while there are some of the sub-shrub species that can grow to five feet.
● Lightly fertilize monthly during the growing season unless a slow release product was used during bed preparation. Remove old flowers and flower spikes as they fade in order to encourage repeated blooming.
Question of the Week: I have a sassafras tree that is several years old. I would like for it to produce fruit. I understand that there are separate male and female sassafras trees and I have examined the flowers and determined that this is a male tree. There are sprouts emerging from the roots. Will the sprouts be of the same sex?
Answer: Sassafras is an interesting tree. Our native species which is Sassafras albidum is a medium sized aromatic tree. The bark of the roots yields the aromatic oil of Sassafras, which has been much used for flavoring candies and root beer.
In most cases Sassafras is a dioecious plant, meaning that each tree has either male or female flowers. Sprouts from the roots of an established tree would be of the same sex. You will need to establish a female tree nearby to be pollinated by your male tree.
There
is one consolation. Sassafras begins
flowering and setting fruit at a very young age, so you could possibly have
seed production within 2 or 3 years once the female arrives on the scene.