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Shrubs

Salvia bullulata

puckered sage

A small, bushy semi-evergreen to evergreen shrub to around 80cm in height with an open habit and aromatic, mid-green, oval-shaped foliage. Unusual, small, tubular turquoise-blue flowers with white tips appear on upright stems in autumn and winter and provide a much needed nectar source for pollinating insects during the colder months

Synonyms

Salvia bullulata dark form

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Lamiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen or Semi evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Salvia can be annuals, biennials, herbaceous or evergreen perennials, or shrubs. They have paired, simple or pinnately lobed, often aromatic leaves and 2-lipped flowers in whorls, forming simple or branched spikes or racemes
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in light, moderately fertile, well-drained soil in a sunny, sheltered position. Prefers cooler conditions so keep the roots protected during the summer with mulch. Drought tolerant

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Wildlife gardens
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 9 in spring; cut back spent flower spikes to prolong flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails, rosemary beetle and leafhoppers

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), powdery mildews, verticillium wilt and foot and root rots

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