Thursday, June 10, 2010

Random plant event: Salvia elegans


I was sort of under the impression that Salvia elegans bloomed at the end of the summer or beginning of fall, and if overwintered in a greenhouse or indoors, maybe sporadically through the winter as well. But these plants, grown from cuttings over last fall and winter, have been blooming more and more and more since about the beginning of May. I enjoy it, but it also confuses me. Was everything I've been told about pineapple sage wrong? Perhaps they've been thrown off by the overwintering?

Still no hummingbird sightings, by the way. Not that I spend a lot of time watching for them, but even so.


Still like the plant. More than ever, actually: unlike coleus, which does great for me outside but sputters along miserably inside, Salvia elegans seems to like me no matter where I grow it. A few lucky duckies have even been planted in the back yard; I'm looking forward to seeing how big they can get by fall.


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Mr. Sub, hmmm, no flowers on the cuttings taken last winter here in TN. Some are in the ground, some in containers, all doing well but not flowering. Here in TN we don't see flowers until quite late, usually September at the earliest. Are you feeding them?
Frances

Diana said...

I've never seen Salvia elegans bloom so early in the year, either. I'm jealous. This is one of my favorite plants in the fall but I have to wait all summer in anticipation for the big bloom. Every year I wonder if it's worth the space in the garden for this big gangling plant. Then - wow! I can't imagine NOT planting them.

Jean Campbell said...

Are the lucky Salvias planted in the ground blooming as well? These look to me as if they are blooming from stress of being crammed into flats instead of where they can stretch and grow.

Mine bloomed when first planted out, but hotter weather tamed them.

mr_subjunctive said...

fairegarden:

I fed them when they were last repotted, though I'm not sure when that was. I would guess maybe around February or March.

NellJean:

I planted five in the ground, one of which was blooming when I planted them. Sheba and I just went out to check, and currently four of the five are blooming. One particular plant has five sets of buds, even.

Steve Asbell said...

I've seen them bloom this early, but then again I am in a warmer area. Thats interesting to note that they did well for you indoors.

Anonymous said...

Some plants whose flowering is determined by short day length will bloom in the spring in addition to their usual bloom season in the fall, if they can get enough growth done early enough in the season. That's why, in the south, many chrysanthemums will also bloom in the spring. That isn't necessarily a good thing, and I've read advice from Garden Authorities to cut back the flower buds in the spring or risk having an adverse impact on the usual fall bloom. I don't know if that's good advice, or if the same applies to Salvia elegans, but it might.

Don