Salvia Blue Abyss

Salvia Blue Abyss

This plant was a chance seedling found in a garden in South Australia. One of its parents was likely to be Salvia leucantha. It has purplish-blue flowers held in dark calyces - an effective combination. It is similar to Salvia 'Anthony Parker' but seems to be a more compact plant (1.2 by 1.2 m) so may be a better choice for smaller spaces. In my garden it blooms in autumn. It can be partnered with plants of almost any other colour - hot or cool. I enjoy it growing nearby the red spires of golden-leaved Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious' and entwined by Manettia luteorubra. It should be pruned back hard in late August. It is easily propagated from cuttings taken in spring and autumn. It grows best in full sun but will tolerate a degree of shade.

Postscript: In the end, I took this one out as it had a shorter flowering time than other similar cultivars.