Salvia unknown

[Paul T]

Howdy All,

Can anyone help with the name for this one.  It was received as Salvia chamaedryoides, but it isn't that species as that one has silver leaves and deep blue flowers?  The flowers on this are quite large, perhaps 2.5cm or so, and the whole flower stem in the pic (the leaves are to the top left) is maybe 90cm in full length to the tip.

Any ideas on the name?  The flowers are two tone in pale blue, and I just love it.  I'd like a name for my records though. 

Thanks.

[Onion]

A very nice one Paul. But I'm on the beginning of my salvia collection.

The problem with the pictures in the internet arr the colours of the flowers. Often not true in colour.

Maybe your salvia is S. lavandulifolia or S. uliginosa

[Paul T]

Uli,

Definitely neither of those.  It doesn't spread like ulignosa, and the flowers are paler blue and very differently arranged rather than more or less at the tops of the stem, and the lavendulifolia has silver leaves, which my one doesn't.  i googled both when you supplied the names, which is a great way to do it once I know what to check. 

Thanks heaps.

[Lesley Cox]

No it certainly isn't S. ulignosa which is gloriously blue, rampant and growing to 2 metres in a wet spot. My mother had it and I did too until even it was overgrown by some other big perennials. Would like it again.

I quite like the sort of glistening surface of yours Paul. If you can get S. chamaedryoides in the cultivar 'Blue Ribbon' it is more compact and floriferous than the type. Stunning colour.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

I do grow S. chamaedryoides, but not the form 'Blue Ribbon'.  I quite the species, which flowers quite well, and I love the silver leaves and slightly wandering habit.  The flowers are also small and such a lovely deep blue.  All in all nothing like this unknown blue of mine.  I must say that I just love my unknown though, as it is such a lovely pale colour and flowers prolifically for many, many months each year.  No signs of any stolons or any of that sort of multiplication..... I really must propagate some from cuttings one of these days.

[Onion]

Paul,

I don't want to make you angry but here some links ob salvia collections

http://www.cabrillo.edu/academics/horticulture/salvias/html/plantedout.html

http://www.neuhsa.org/salviacollection.html

http://vincentgardens.com/Salvia-Collection-C132734.aspx

http://www.salvias.org.au/Collections.htm

[ChrisB]

Hi Paul,

Don't know if this photo of mine is of any use, as it doesn't show the foliage which is grey-green in colour.  A ground hugging species.  It comes through the worst winters for me too...  If you want seed from it I'll try to gather some this autumn.

[Stephenb]

I received this from a friend on FB who is a member of the Salvia group on FB (the first part of the name was correct!):

"I suspect this is the lovely Salvia chamalaeagnea from South Africa". Cheers .. Robin Middleton

[Paul T]

Stephen (and Rob),

Thanks heaps.  That does look like it, doesn't it.  And given the similarity of name I can see why things got mixed up in the naming department as well. 

Excellent!!

[fleurbleue]

or algeriensis  or another species 

http://www.google.fr/imgres?imgurl=http://salvia.itgo.com/Salviaalgeriensis.jpg&imgrefurl=http://salvia.itgo.com/photos.html&usg=__96Zr4Lg3qhd1qawJChCVndvtw54=&h=178&w=143&sz=27&hl=fr&start=2&sig2=AXBvP3BbTjlhauh1EB-Xrg&zoom=1&itbs=1&tbnid=jsHqrBKly5S8XM:&tbnh=101&tbnw=81&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsalvia%2Balgeriensis%26hl%3Dfr%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=U7xqTeykDpDK4gbT3NiECw

I have not a shorter link 

[Onion]

Not a short one, but a lot of plants to see 

[mark smyth]

I think my Hot Lips has been killed. Is there a possibility it can come up from underground?

[Brian Ellis]

I think my Hot Lips has been killed. Is there a possibility it can come up from underground?

I thought mine was dead last year but it came back and gave a great show, don't give up!

[daveyp1970]

mine comes back from underground runners Mark

[ChrisB]

Mark, I'm almost sure your 'Hot Lips' will return.  I cut all my salvias to the ground in late April and they never fail to come back for me.  Does depend how cold you are, but I suspect you are not quite as cold as we've been this last winter and I fully expect to see all my salvias.  That being said, I am on very free draining soil, their preferred site...