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Herbaceous PerennialConservatory Greenhouse

Salvia dombeyi

giant Bolivian sage

A spreading shrub with long, slender scrambling stems up to 2.5m tall and heart-shaped mid-green leaves to 20cm long. Clusters of long, pendulous, bright red, hairy flowers up to 9cm long emerge from dark purple calcyes and are borne from summer into autumn

Other common names

Sacred Incan sage

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

West–facing or South–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: 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
Plant range: Peru Bolivia

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow under glass in peat-free potting compost in full light with shade from hot sun. Grow outdoors in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or dappled shade in a frost-free border. Protect from excessive winter wet. Climbing stems benefit from support provided by other plants or a trellis

Propagation

Propagate from softwood cuttings or semi-ripe cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Gravel garden
Sub-tropical
Wildlife gardens
Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Pruning group 9; cut back overwintered plants in spring

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails and capsid bug, aphids, glasshouse red spider mite and glasshouse whitefly

Diseases

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

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