Jefferson Seed Library

Salvia

Beloved by bees and hummingbirds, salvia is a pollinator-friendly flower. It is an ornamental sage in the mint family. The plants are quite spectacular when planted together in groups and is great for both beds and borders. 

  • Variety
 Sirius Blue Sage; Summer Jewels Red; Victoria
  • Scientific Name

Salvia farinacea: Sirius Blue Sage; Victoria

Salvia coccinea: Summer Jewels Red
  • Growing Level
 Easy
  • Seed Saving Level
 Intermediate
  • Seed Storage
 1 year if properly stored
  • Life Cycle

Perennial

  • Sirius Blue Sage (in zones 7-10)
  • Summer Jewels Red (in zones 8-10)
  • Victoria (in Zones 7-10)
  • Germination Time
 7-14 days
  • Seed Pretreatment Before Sowing
 None
  • Sowing Depth
 Surface Sow
  • Height
  • Sirius Blue Sage: 12-16”
  • Summer Jewels Red: 18”
  • Victoria: 18”
  • Light Requirements

Seeds need light to germinate

Full sun
  • Frost Hardy?
  • Sirius Blue Sage (in zones 7-10)
  • Summer Jewels Red (in zones 8-10)
  • Victoria (in Zones 7-10)
  • Blooms in
 70-80 days
  • “Check Out” Month See Upcoming Events for specific “check out” dates.
 March
  • In Stock?

Yes

 

Salvia

Table of Contents

 

Growing Tips

Container Friendly

Sirius Blue Sage

Summer Jewels Red

Native Plant

Salvia coccine: (Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Ohio, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina)

When to Start

 

Start indoors: Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. (March for GA)

Transplant: After the danger of frost has passed and after hardening off. (May 1 for Jefferson, GA)

Direct Sow:  After the danger of frost has passed. (May 1 for Jefferson, GA)

 

How to Grow

 

Start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. Salvia needs light to germinate. Surface sow by gently pressing the seeds into the seed starting mix. Place under grow lights. Or direct sow by gently pressing the seeds into the flower bed soil. You can lightly cover them to keep them from blowing away. Space or thin to 12-18 inches.

 

Care

 

Plant in well-draining soil in full sun, but will tolerate part-shade. Salvia prefers well-draining soil. The leaves a susceptible to mildew and other diseases if they get wet. Bottom water and space plants properly to provide adequate air circulation. Slugs can be a problem. See Slug Traps for tips on dealing with slugs.

Salvia blooms during the summer through fall. After the first killing frost, cut back stems to 1-2 inches  above the soil. It can also benefit from a late summer pruning to help prevent legginess.

My personal experience

I’ve grown blue bedder, salvia in my front flower garden for many years now. It is a relatively low maintenance. After the first couple of years, I let nature do the watering. I don’t have a good way to water that bed unless I carry it. Who wants to do that every day? Because of this whatever is planted there has to survive on its own.

 

I’ll prune it back to 1-2 inches in late winter. (Jan-Feb) This way I know all the seeds have dropped and the birds have their fill. I let it reseed itself every year. This occasionally means I need to thin the plants. But I do want it to fill in to create a sea of purple!

 

Bumblebees seem to like this flower. I always see my bumblebee make the rounds. I’ve also seen hummingbirds, other bees, and butterflies!

Seed Saving

Isolation Distance

 

Insect dependent for pollination. Isolate 1/2 mile to prevent cross-pollination.

 

Instructions

 

Select healthy, robust plants free of any signs of disease or insect infestation for seeds. Seeds carry the traits of the parent plant. Choose plants that exhibit the traits you wish to preserve. Consider bloom size, color, and shape, as well as blooming time.

Allow the biggest and healthiest blooms to mature on the plant. Cover the seed head with a fine-mesh bag as soon as the flower petals shrivel and die. Use an elastic band to hold the bag in place. This prevents seeds from spilling onto the soil before harvest.

Clip the flower head from the main stem once the seeds are dry and dark. Separate plant debris from the seeds by removing the mesh bag and placing the flower head in a paper bag and shaking to loosen the seeds. Seeds settle to the bottom of the bag. Remove plant debris by hand.

Features

  • Attracts pollinators
  • Attracts hummingbirds
  • Deer resistant
  • Good cut flowers
  • Easy to grow
  • Good dried flowers
  • Sirius Blue Sage: Heirloom. Perennial in zones 7-10. Beautiful blue flower spikes loved by hummingbirds and other pollinators. Compact 12-16 inches and drought-resistant.
  • Summer Jewels Red: Heirloom. Perennial in zones 8-10. ​ Half-inch blooms are lipstick red and reach 18 inches tall. A great bedding flower and good for borders or containers.
  • Victoria: Usually grown as an annual, but it is perennial in zones 7-10. Compact plants produce violet-blue flowers from summer until frost. 

You may also like:

 

Slug Traps

Pest Management

Drying Herbs

Sources:

Starting & Saving Seeds by Julie Thompson-Adolf

Rareseeds.com