Saturday, April 23, 2011

Feature Plant: Salvia 'May Night'

Salvia nemerosa  'May Night'
Perennial sages are a beautiful addition to any summer garden and come in a variety of cultivars ranging from 18-24 inches to 2-3 feet in height. One of my all-time favorites for long bloom time and vibrant color is Salvia nemerosa 'May Night'. This lovely perennial is drought tolerant, deer resistant and is attractive to both butterflies and hummingbirds.  It was also voted as Perennial Plant of the Year in 1997!  
   
Salvia 'May Night' 
Salvia nemerosa 'May Night' displays deep purple blooms from late May through July on 12-18 inch spikes and is hardy in USDA Zone 3-9. Salvia prefer to be grown in full sun in a moist, yet 
well-drained soil and are drought tolerant once established in the garden. With regular pinching back of spent blooms, this beautiful perennial can have a repeat performance all the way through fall. For more detailed information on maintaining Salvia visit here at: Pruning-Salvia-A-Simple-How-To .

Salvia 'May Night' New Growth


Salvia is easy to propagate through stem cuttings or division of a mature plant. The best time to divide is in early spring when new foliage just starts to appear. It is recommended to apply a layer of mulch around the new planting and keep it well watered until established. A well balanced fertilizer (10-10-10 or 20-20-20) in springtime on established plants will help to promote fuller green foliage and vibrant blooms.

Salvia 'May Night' in Perennial Border
Companion perennials for Salvia 'May Night' include Stella D Oro Daylily, Coreopsis 'Zagreb', Sedum 'Brilliant' and Peony 'Karl Rosenfeld' (photo behind Salvia) for a vibrant display of color. Companion shrubs include 'Gold Mop' Cypress, Golden Hinoki  Cypress, Blue Star Juniper and Blue Globe Spruce. Try out this perennial for a lovely addition to your landscape! 


Author: Lee@A Guide To Northeastern Gardening Copyright 2011.

2 comments:

  1. I happen to love Salvia. I have some that I planted in my rock garden several years ago. It continues to spread each year. Such a low maintenance plant too. I love it. Thanks for this informative post.
    www.skylarkmanor.com

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  2. I've never tried overwintering it... but what the heck? I'll try digging it up this year and see if I can overwinter it somehow, and let you know how it goes!

    It started blooming for me before August, but it IS a later bloomer in my garden. It's one of the few plants that keep going right up until the end of the growing season here, though, so it's still worth it IMHO. And the hummingbirds apparently love it, too.

    salvia

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