SALVIA AUSTRIACA - AUSTRIAN SAGE

The enormously varied family of the Sages offers possibilities for every gardener - from dwarf varieties right up to real giants and from spectacular color show to delicate performance. One of those more delicate performers is Salvia austriaca. Native to Eastern Europe this plant is perfectly hardy to USDA zone 6, and grows in well drained ordinary garden soil in full sun to part shade. Austrian Sage forms a large ground hugging rosette and in May the pubescent flowering stems seem to spurt out of the greenery to a height of about 60 cm. (2 feet). The dense spikes display the subtle creamy flowers in June which add a fine tune to the early summer border. The plant often repeats flowering in August - September thus creating a welcome addition to the late summer garden. In colder climate zones this sage will be sumer flowering.

This plant will attract any keen gardeners attention when backlit by the sun; the pubescent stems and the flowers with the rather long stamens. Another nice quality is that Austrian Sage holds very well as a cut flower. Nice combinations are achieved together with Achillea, Persicaria (syn. Polygonum) and Aster frikartii ‘Flora’s Delight’.

This plant portrait is provided by Free Spirit Nursery, Langley, B.C. Please see our listing under Nurseries and Garden Centers”.

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