The MGS Forum
Plants for mediterranean gardens => Perennials => Topic started by: John J on November 12, 2012, 09:52:17 AM
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We have recently returned from an extremely enjoyable weekend in Peania (thank you, Fleur) which included time spent at Sparoza (thank you, Sally). We were able to bring back some interesting plants, cuttings and seeds. The plants all seem to have survived the trip and are looking promising. We managed to get them into the ground just in time to benefit from the first real rain of the season, 2 days of heavy downpours. I was anxious to share at least one on the forum even though it has not fully recovered from its ordeal and the photos are not particularly good.
Salvia discolor has the most amazing dark indigo, almost black flowers. The plant is in semi-shade and so the first photo is a little on the dark side but using flash, as in the second shot, washes out the colour.
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I enjoyed the visit to Sparoza immenselyas well, and saw a lot of plants I would love to have, Salvia discolor was one of them. Unfortunately, I didn't think the cuttings I was offered would have survived the transport to Norway and the winter here, so I guess I'll have to try to find seeds. There were other beautiful salvias there as well, the intensely blue S. guaranitica, and S. leucantha, I have to look for seeds from them as well
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I too, have those three salvias all of which are blooming now. S. discolor and S. guaranitica both take root from cuttings extremely easily. Indeed I have put thick branches of S. guaranitica in the ground and provided I keep the ground damp they just grow roots. I have lots of cuttings of them both in my greenhouse if anyone wants some. S.leucantha is a great salvia for the winter months and blooms profusely. I will try and find some seeds of them all.......
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Beautiful John J - thanks for posting the photos :)
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S. discolor also has a rather nice scent or black currents. We grew a large pot of it this year and it flowered right through to the frosts.
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I will definitely try to findt seeds from all three. It is not always easy to bring the seedlings from Norway to Greece, though, but I'm sure I won't find any plants in the local nurseries.
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What about the society seed list?
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I checked that, none of them on the list as far as I can see.
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I've just checked our plant which though frosted hasn't been killed yet but there are no seeds. Sorry.
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I have searched the internet, and found one company which has S. leucantha, but both S. discolor and S. guaranitica were sold out. Maybe I'll be able to find somebody in Europe who has plants for sale next spring.
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Salvia discolor is quite a rare salvia. I have never seen it for sale either locally or on the internet.
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Log into the RHS plant/supplier website. A number of UK suppliers will send plants of S.discolor to EU, with all the fun and games that entails. Haven't found any seed suppliers yet though, but there must be some.
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I found a seed supplier, but they were sold out.
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I haven't contributed to the discussion for a few days as getting WiFi from a hospital bed has proven a little tricky at times.
Anyway, the plant I took back to Cyprus from Sparoza was a rooted cutting from Sally's little nursery. As the AGM next year will be held in the Athens area maybe you could get a rooted plant to take direct to your Greek place, Jorun? It would then have the winter/spring period to settle in a litttle.
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That would be a very good solution, John, unless I find somebody selling the plant.
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Jorun, have you tried the Kaisariani nursery or Chrysanthi Parayiou's nursery, both on the outskirts of Athens (at the foothills of Mt Hymettus and Mt Penteli, respectively)? You would have to visit, though, as they don't post plants. We acquired our Salvia leucantha plants from the latter nursery.
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I must admit I'm not that often in Athens, it was at least 15 years since the last visit when I went to the meeting in Peania three weeks ago. But maybe there will be a chance next year?
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JTh Pepiniere Vaugines lists Salvia discolor. Gerard Weiner's website has plenty of other tempting, envy inducing photos.
In passing I would say that the specific name 'discolor' is unjustified. It sounds as though it should be translated as something like 'bad colour' Which taxonomist could ever have thought such a thing?
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There are a lot of yummy, showy Salvias but many (as Alisdair has pointed out previously) will need some or even a lot of watering. I don't know about Slavia discolor once it's in the ground but here in London in a pot it took a reasonable amount of water to keep it looking good.
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The editor of TMG, Caroline Harbouri, has written an article (TMG No. 63, January 2011): 'Some Salvias Grown in Pots… With Comments from Sparoza (Salvia guaranitica, Salvia discolor, Salvia leucantha, Salvia madrensis and others)', there are some photos on the MGS's website with photos illustraing the article, and this is what she writes about this salvia:
'Salvia discolor is a great success at Sparoza. It flowers continuously throughout the year, even under protective horticultural fleece in winter (for it is somewhat tender). It receives less water than the other salvias in the terraces but never wilts. It is happy in positions where it can cascade down over a wall..'
The other salvias seem to be watered every four days at Sparoza.
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Yes it does seem to be a good one then. If it were to be on a terrace wall you would be able to semll the flowers more easily.
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For seeds of Salvia guaranitica "Santa Maria" try www.robinssalvias.com (http://www.robinssalvias.com)
They have it in their 2012/13 seed list.
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Thank you, I am now waiting for the seed list I have asked for
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The small plant of S. discolor that we brought back from Sparoza certainly seems to live up to the claim in an earlier post that it flowers almost continuously throughout the year. Ours has been in flower since we brought it back last November.
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We had a speaker at our local Alpine Garden Society (Victorian Group) meeting last month who belongs to the Salvia Study Group and he had some salvias for sale - this was one that we purchased and I'm looking forward to seeing if it copes with our climate.
Needless to say I was encouraged by the comments on this thread ;D
cheers
fermi