Salvia ringens

 

Such a charming Salvia, I can’t help but admire it every time I walk past. The 3’ tall flower stems wave numerous blue-purple flowers all Summer like flags saying to the bees (& garden admirers) “Here I am!”. The robust stems rise above low foliage that stays to 18” tall & wide, perfect for smaller gardens or a front of the border position. I’ve enjoyed seeing this Salvia’s flowers pop against the orange foliage of Stipa arundinacea, just mix in some Erigeron glaucus ‘Wayne Roderick’ for a lovely, long-blooming purple/orange combo. Native to the Balkans, Salvia ringens is drought tolerant & long lived, as long as it gets good drainage. The leaves are purported to have antimicrobial properties & are useful against infections.

Kelly Kilpatrick
Horticulturalist