Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Mealycup Sage

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

This compact variety produces brilliant pink blooms, emerging from black calyces; great for patio containers and sunny garden areas; these heat tolerant and low maintenance plants are great pollinators; continuously blooming, no need to deadhead

Ornamental Features

Unplugged® Pink Salvia has masses of beautiful spikes of lightly-scented hot pink tubular flowers with black calyces rising above the foliage from late spring to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its heart-shaped leaves emerge light green in spring, turning forest green in colour with hints of silver throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Unplugged® Pink Salvia is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Unplugged® Pink Salvia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Unplugged® Pink Salvia will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 12 inches apart. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to dry locations, and dislikes excessive moisture. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid. It can be propagated by cuttings; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Unplugged® Pink Salvia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.