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Sage in Latin is called Salvia, it is under this name in Russia that the decorative variety of this plant is known. Salvia appeared in Europe several centuries ago, they belong to the Lamiaceae family and exist in nature as perennials. To avoid confusion, it is customary to divide plants of this species into two groups and call only medicinal species as sage, and ornamental salvia. The cultivation of perennial salvia in temperate climates has its own characteristics, because this plant is of tropical origin. Despite the plant's increased love for heat and sun, hundreds of species of cultivated sage can exist without problems in flower gardens and flower beds in the northern country.
Photos of perennial salvia flowers, a description of popular varieties can be found in this article. Here you will learn about the seedlings of this plant and how and when to plant it, how to care for flowers, what to do with salvia in winter.
Description of the species
Healing sage has been known since the days of Ancient Rome. There are many varieties of this plant, each of which has its own medicinal properties and is actively used in medicine.
In decorative salvia, the inflorescences are larger, the color of the flowers is brighter and more varied, therefore it is customary to decorate personal plots, parks and gardens with just such varieties.
As a species, Salvia and medicinal sage have a lot of similar qualities:
- plant type - spongy, rhizome, herbaceous;
- the stem of the salvia is erect, ascending, has a tetrahedral section;
- the height of the stems, depending on the type of sage, can vary from 20 cm to 1.5 meters;
- leaves are elongated, whole, arranged in pairs - opposite;
- the upper part of the leaf plate is green, and the lower one has a whitish color;
- rod-type root system, powerful, with many lateral thin roots;
- individual flowers are small, but collected in large spike-shaped inflorescences;
- the length of the inflorescence usually exceeds 20 cm and can reach 50 cm;
- in each spikelet of inflorescence, there are up to 90 single flowers;
- the traditional color of salvia is red, but selection does not stand still, and today there is a decorative sage of pink, purple, orange and lilac shades;
- the plant is thermophilic, all types of salvia do not tolerate frost well;
- sage is unpretentious, does not need complex care;
- the flower loves the sun and loose nutrient soils.
Perennial ornamental sage
In nature, sage grows on all continents of the Earth, except Australia, but this plant comes from the subtropics and tropics.
Depending on the climate in which Salvia was "born", it is customary to divide all its varieties into three large groups:
- Subtropical view, accustomed to heat and sun, therefore categorically intolerant of frost and low temperatures. Subtropical salvia in Russia can only be grown as an annual.
- Mediterranean sage is more resistant to cold and the vagaries of the weather, but it also does not tolerate sub-zero temperatures. Such salvia can be grown as a biennial plant in temperate climates, but flowers should be covered or brought to a warm place for the winter.
- Salvia perennial - the most cold-resistant type.In regions with snowy or mild winters, the flower does not even need to be covered. For several seasons, sage will delight with its bright flowers, and will begin to bloom from the second year after planting.
Salvia officinalis
This group includes meadow and forest sage varieties with medicinal or spicy properties. In height, such flowers usually grow up to a maximum of 70 cm. Flowers are not afraid of cold and shade.
Not all types of medicinal sage are decorative, but the most beautiful of them are considered:
- grade Nectar, growing up to a meter in height, with pubescent leaves and large inflorescences of a purple or heavenly shade;
- at Semko Patriarchal long pointed leaves, and the maximum height of the bushes is 0.7 meters;
- Breeze more compact - only 60 cm in height, has leaves with a serrated edge and inflorescences of an azure shade;
- Aibolit pleases with the huge size of the bush - up to 120 cm, has large wrinkled leaves and bright flowers;
- Blue Queen refers to forest species, her inflorescences are colored blue (there is a variety of Pink Queen, respectively, with pink inflorescences);
- Plumosa it is considered an oak sage, and this species is very resistant to cold weather, the flowers are painted in a rich lavender shade;
- Alba refers to the whorled species of medicinal sage, it blooms in white.
Each of the varieties of medicinal sage is not only beautiful in appearance, but also has its own healing properties: one species is able to stop bleeding, the other relieves inflammation or pain, a decoction from the third has a beneficial effect on internal organs. And then there are the spicy sage types used in cooking and various drinks.
Mediterranean group
Perennial salvias, native to the Mediterranean, tolerate cold well, can grow in the driest regions, and practically do not need care. But this variety of ornamental sage cannot endure the harsh Russian winters. therefore in temperate climates, Mediterranean varieties are most often grown as biennials - for the winter, the flowers are reliably covered or transferred to the house.
Horminum - green or variegated variety
Salvia Horminum is an ornamental variety with colored flower beds, whorled inflorescences of various shades. The height of the flower is 40-60 cm, its bush is spreading, well-leafy, dense.
The stems of Horminum are spicy, they are covered with a small fluff. Leaves are elongated, oval, pubescent. The inflorescence is a false whorl, consisting of 4-6 pink flowers. Bracts look brighter, which can have a different color: from pink and hot pink to deep purple.
Popular varieties of Mediterranean perennial salvia:
- White Swan, having bracts of purple or pink color;
- Oxford Blue with unusual blue colors;
- Pink Sandy - salvia with bracts of a bright pink hue.
Salvia Verticillata
Whorled salvia has straight stems, growing up to 30-40 cm. The leaves have long petioles, they, like the stems, are densely pubescent. The inflorescences are collected in dense whorled spikelets, each of which has from five to thirty flowers.
The shade of inflorescences in whorled salvia is usually purple or purple-blue. == The most popular variety is Purple Rain, which has purple petioles and bright purple corollas. ==
Dandelion sage
The stem of this species is straight and poorly branched. The plant is herbaceous, all its parts exude a strong spicy aroma. The leaves are feathery, strongly dissected, collected in root rosettes. The lower part of the leaf is pubescent, the outside surface of the leaf plate is glossy.
The inflorescences are whorled, reaching 30 cm.Corollas of flowers are light pink, greenish pharynx with purple specks.
Perennial varieties
The third group includes the most resistant varieties of salvia, which even in Russia can be grown as perennials. These flowers are not afraid of frost, can winter without shelter (provided that the winter is snowy), grow well in the shade and in partial shade, and are undemanding to care for.
Sage ferruginous or sticky
This flower grows everywhere in Russia, as it is probably the most adapted to the climate of this country. The height of the bushes can reach 90 cm, the stems are pubescent, glandular.
The shape of the leaf is ovoid-triangular, the leaves are painted in a yellowish-green hue, have jagged edges and are covered with fluff. Salvia inflorescences are loose, have a yellowish tint and whorl shape.
Lush sage
Salvia superba more commonly referred to as lush salvia. This flower grows to a maximum of sixty centimeters, has inflorescences collected in spikelets and painted in a rich lavender color.
Popular varieties of lush salvia:
- Snow hill - perennial salvia with large snow-white inflorescences;
- Blue Queen pleases with compact low bushes and very bright blue-violet flowers;
- Rose Queen - also a "dwarf", very compact, with pink flowers.
The third, persistent perennial species also includes meadow salvia and Ethiopian salvia, but they are less often grown in the country.
Flower propagation
Perennial varieties of salvia can be propagated by seeds, seedlings, cuttings and cuttings. The seeds are the fruit of the sage bloom and are in capsules from which they fall very easily to the ground. At the end of winter, seedlings begin to grow - sage seeds are not planted due to the long growing season.
Until the end of summer, Salvia can be propagated by semi-lignified cuttings. Cuttings should be cut at a height of about 15 cm and placed in water or in loose nutritious soil. After two weeks, the roots should appear, after another 10-15 days the salvia can be planted in a permanent place.
Air layers are also an excellent breeding method. They are simply pinned to the ground and the next year the rooted bush is separated from the mother plant.
Growing and care
Sowing seeds for seedlings is carried out in February, because at least two months should have passed by the time of transplantation into the ground. Salvia seedlings are very weak, so all work with it is carried out with great care.
It is much easier to propagate flowers by cuttings or layering. Heat-loving sage is transferred to the soil to a permanent place not earlier than May - the weather should stabilize, and the earth should warm up.
Caring for Salvia is simple, she needs:
- watering with warm water;
- loosening the soil or mulching;
- formative pruning (applies to perennial species);
- feeding with complex mineral fertilizers.
Conclusion
The photo of bright salvia does not leave you indifferent - you immediately want to have such a miracle in your own garden. When choosing a sage variety, you should take into account the peculiarities of the climate in a particular region. Perennial varieties of salvia, capable of withstanding even frosts, showed themselves best in the middle lane.
