Salvia patens
My Salvia patens is blooming in my half-barrel, and I must say I am
shocked with wonder at the intensity of the flowers’ coloring. They are
not true blue -- more like a very intense deep indigo-violet -- but they
are breathtaking. Salvia patens is of course not hardy in Zone 5b-6a
Santa Fe. I want to overwinter my plant, but things I overwinter indoors
tend to get terminal spider mite, or suddenly die just when March is
peeking over the transom, so I must take cuttings and root them, I
suppose. My question to you mulcherati out there is: can I root just any
old piece of stem, or must I take my cuttings from nonflowering spikes,
as I do with dianthuses?
Rand B. Lee, Freelance Writer & Editor
Founder and President, The North American Dianthus Society
Founder and President, The North American Cottage Garden Society
Member, Garden Writers Association of America
Author, PLEASURES OF THE COTTAGE GARDEN (Michael Friedman Publishers)
copyright 1998, ISBN 1-56799-695-7
randbear@nets.com
1306 Lujan Street
Santa Fe, NM 87505-3220
505-438-7038
Zone 6a
7000 feet elevation
