Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Salvia clevelandii x leucophylla

Description:

A shrubby, hybrid variety featuring whorls of lavender-blue flowers on towering spikes in early summer, over silvery gray-green foliage that is quite aromatic; great for sunny areas with good drainage; excellent cut or dried flowers for arrangements

Ornamental Features

Aromas Sage has masses of beautiful spikes of lavender tubular flowers with sky blue overtones rising above the foliage from late spring to early fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its fragrant narrow leaves remain grayish green in colour with curious silver undersides throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Aromas Sage is an herbaceous annual with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. 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 is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. 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.

Aromas Sage is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Aromas Sage will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. Although it's not a true annual, this 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 should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

Aromas Sage 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. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.