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Herbaceous Perennial

Salvia napifolia
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

Turkish sage

An herbaceous perennial, to about 75cm tall, producing basal clumps of toothed, hairy, heart-shaped leaves, and upright flowering stems bearing whorls of mid blue-purple flowers with darker purple bracts in summer

Other common names
turnip-leaved sage
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Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.1–0.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Purple Green
Autumn Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

West–facing or South–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Lamiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
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
Turkey

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained soil and full sun with shelter from cold, drying winds

Propagation

Propagate by seed, or take basal stem cuttings in late spring; stem-tip cuttings in late summer or in early autumn or propagate by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Coastal
  • Gravel garden
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Flower borders and beds
Pruning

Cut back spent flower spikes to prolong flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails, aphids, capsid bug, leafhoppers and rosemary beetle

Diseases

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

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