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Purple salvia

coleuslady's picture

Purple salvia (post #11859)

coleuslady on Sat, 02/11/2006 - 17:11
in

I recently received my seeds from Park's and was excited about the salvia lyrata "Purple Volcano." It has purple foliage and can grow in sun/light shade, which meets the needs of my shady yard. Then, walking through the yard and looking at winter-flattened purple leaves, I realized that I already have plenty of this plant, only around here, we call it purple sage. Salvia, sage, same thing! I feel idiotic, but perhaps I can remedy the situation with a trade. If anyone would like purple salvia, it's a pack of 50 seeds, and it's perennial in zones 6-8, or can be grown as an annual.


I need a shade/light shade plant to grow with my others (hostas, trycirtis, gooseneck loosestrife, persecaria).


Elizabeth, Gardening in Zone 7, Mid-Atlantic


The look of the garden we plant isn't what matters most, but rather what planting a garden does for us.

Elizabeth, Gardening in Zone 7, Mid-Atlantic

“Animals are something invented by plants to move seeds around. An extremely yang solution to a peculiar problem which they faced.” -- Terence McKenna

-A +A
Mimi's picture

(post #11859, reply #1 of 6)

by Mimi in reply to coleuslady [original] on Sun, 02/12/2006 - 20:55

coleus lady:  you can have all of my variegated vinca, if you want to drive to Dover to get it!  It will grow in sun, shade, concrete and asphalt...


mimi


"Every child can learn, just not all on the same day in the same way."
"All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
Lunaria's picture

(post #11859, reply #3 of 6)

by Lunaria in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 00:58

Be careful about plants that grow anywhere like the varigated vinca. It may mean it will choke out everything (unless that is what you want.)  Pat/Lunaria

Mimi's picture

(post #11859, reply #4 of 6)

by Mimi in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 04:23

That was the problem with the vinca. It chocked out everything it came in contact with, including the driveway!


Mimi


"All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
"All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
Lunaria's picture

(post #11859, reply #5 of 6)

by Lunaria in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 05:12

I knew it!  The same goes for ivy.  I only had to tend it at one location and it drove me crazy.  But ....if you have a bank or somewhere you never plan to plant anything else, then these two plants are your answer...but you will still need to control perimeters.  Pat/Lunaria

leatherbark's picture

(post #11859, reply #6 of 6)

by leatherbark in reply to Anonymous [original] on Sat, 02/07/2009 - 21:42

I love vinca, but for me, it didn't thrive under my silver maple trees.

Karen's picture

(post #11859, reply #2 of 6)

by Karen in reply to coleuslady [original] on Sun, 02/12/2006 - 22:47

Salvia lyrata is native through most of the eastern US and into the midwestern states (see map http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SALY2 ). As you've noted, the foliage often takes on burgandy or purple tones in the winter. Cultivars and seed strains like 'Purple Volcano', 'Burgandy Bliss', 'Purple Knockout', etc, were chosen for burgandy foliage color throughout the year, so it may still serve a purpose for you. Although everybody seems to want the dark leaves, I think there are some equally attractive green leaved forms in the native populations around me. I especially like the ones with heavy purple veining and scalloped edges. One thing to consider if you decide to plant this is that S. lyrata is cleistogamous, meaning that after the spring bloom the plant will put up lots of bloom stalks which will self pollinate without opening flowers and produce lots of seed. Lots and lots of seed. Makes a good ground cover in a year or two if that's what you want.

North Carolina - zone 7

North Carolina - zone 7