Salvia Victoria Blue...the Ultimate Salvia for the Garden...

Salvia Victoria Blue from my garden August 27, 2009

About the Salvia

The Salvia Victoria Blue flowers a long time, has vibrant purple blooms and is a perfect annual bedding plant for all flower bed gardens. This annual is the ultimate annual plant for everyone's garden design. Not only is it an easy annual to grow, it shows an amazing deep violet blue color throughout the summer and fall seasons.

How To Grow The Salvia

Plant experts consider the Victoria Blue a compact plant but in my garden it reaches beyond the 12" to at least 20".

Because our climate in the prairies (zone 3 ) is a bit cooler than other places, the leaves can turn a dark purple color...that is if the spring remains too cool. The bloom stalks remind me of Lavender as they spike upwards, but alas, this annual has no frangrance.

The 2 varieties I plant each year:

The farinacea variety requires a sun location while the spendens can grow in partial shade. With the spendens, if you want a bushier plant pinch out the central spike and the plant will bush out.

TIP: Watch out for aphids and the leafminer. They are the only draw back and fortunatley the plants are not affected every growing season. If you do find some aphids and in order to save the plant, I give the plants a blast from my hose or spray with insecticidal soap. If you catch them soon enough, water from the hose does very well.

Plant in mass in the flowerbed design for a greater effect. The Salvias also grow well in pots.

Another tip: If your summers ever wind up being on the cooler, wet side, watch out for cotton mold. A fungicide will help if caught in time or simply cut off the affected stems. Use bleach to clean your shears afterwards.

Great companion plants: Ageratum Blue Horizon, Dogwood Shrub, Barberry Shrub or the Geranium Rozanne.

Also, check out my Site Index Page for additional annuals and perennials for your next flowerbed garden design.

Salvia Features:

• grows to 12" to 18" tall
• feed monthly if planted in the ground. Feed twice a month if planted in containers for the farinacea
• the splenens are heavier feeders, so feed once a week until fall
• I deadhead my plants but the blooms last such a long time that it doesn't seem very often
• the flowers from the Victoria Blue make great cutting flowers

Related pages:

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