36 Fine Gardening Fleeting bloomsandunrulyhabitsare athingofthepastwiththeseselections

| june 2016 that won’t let Salvias you down Plant-trial results

‘Mainacht’

Photo: By Richard Hawke  At a glance Salvia spp. and cvs. ’m lucky to live in Chicago—maybe not in February when we’re buried in snow, USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9 but in spring, it’s a different story. One I Conditions: Full sun of my favorite spots in the city is the Lurie to partial shade; moist, Garden in Millennium Park (if you’ve been well-drained soil to Chicago in recent years, you’ve likely vis- bloom time: Midspring to ited), a delightful place of imaginative plant early summer, reblooming combinations in ever-changing patterns. In sometimes into fall late spring and early summer, waves Propagation: From of hardy salvias flow like a mighty river seed; softwood cuttings from north to south through the entire in spring; division in early spring or late fall garden—a singular sight that always elicits Problems: Rust, an awed gasp. The magnitude and richness powdery mildew, stem of this sapphire and amethyst tapestry is not rot, and fungal leaf spots. to be missed. Admittedly, I have a soft spot for salvias— ‘Madeline’ I’ve long coveted the tender ones that won’t make it through a Chicago winter, all the while cherishing the hearty selection of hardy ones that will. Unfortunately, since salvia has a bad reputation for being in its prime for such a short span of time, it hardly seems worth the effort. Standing in a sea of salvias in the Lurie Garden a few years ago, though, I thought, surely there must be more amazing varieties like these out there. It was time to take a look at the latest cultivars of these de- pendable perennials—a new trial had begun!

Top performers that are worth the investment The “it” sage for many years was ‘Mainacht’ (syn. ‘May Night’; photo facing page), which won the Perennial Plant of the Year award in 1997. Honestly, I’m not sure that another sage has diminished its popularity, although it has more competition than ever. Spikes of deep -blue flowers with calyces smother the plants every year. And it is usually one of the first salvias to bloom each spring. ‘Mainacht’ stands tall in full sun, although in partial shade, it relaxes and may even flop. Early in my

‘Eveline’ TRIAL PARAMETERS

Since 1993, the Chicago Botanic Garden has evalu- ated over 50 salvias. The original trial ran from 1993 to 1998 and contained 15 types; 40 additional sal- vias have entered the trials since then.  Duration: A minimum of four years  Participants: Cultivars of wood salvia (S. nemorosa), meadow salvia (S. praten- sis), and garden salvia (S. × sylvestris) featured promi- nently in the trial.  Zone: 5b  Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; alkaline, clay-loam, well-drained soil  Care: Minimal, allowing the plants to thrive or fail under natural conditions.  Observations: Ornamental traits; growth, adaptation to environmental and soil conditions; disease or pest problems; plant injury or winter losses. ‘Caradonna’

Marcus® Yellow salvia

38 Fine Gardening | date 20xx gardening life, I grew ‘Mainacht’ but let basics it slip out of my garden because I wanted  something different. However, during an exceptionally cool spring a few years ago, I was captivated by the intensity of its flower Salvia tips and tricks color in plantings around Chicago, and now Although best grown in moist, well-drained soils, many varieties, like ‘Ostfriesland’, can survive with it’s deservedly back in my garden. minimal water. In fact, this particular salvia has grown successfully on our roof for five years— proof positive of its drought tolerance. Here are some other things you should know about salvias. If ‘Madeline’ (top photo, p. 37) were being judged on its floral display alone, it  Give them a pre-fall face-lift would get five stars hands down. Pretty After flowering, salvias go through an ugly purple and white flowers are bountiful for duckling stage when dying flower stems several weeks in early summer. The habit look fire-blasted and/or fall away to expose is a little too unrefined for my taste, with the crowns. This is the time to rejuvenate the plants by cutting away most of the large, coarse-textured leaves and loose flo- tattered old growth to make room for the ral spikes. As the flowers pass, the mostly rosette of fresh leaves forming at the cen- chartreuse stems and calyces quickly turn ter. Plants will gain size fairly quickly, and new flowers will then begin popping up. brown, and deadheading is a must at that point. Seedlings from ‘Madeline’ were com- mon in the garden, although not prolific. Pairing ‘Madeline’ with something like orna- mental grasses that mask the coarse foliage but accentuate the flowers is the best plan. ‘Eveline’ (bottom photo, p. 37) stood out from the start; an early bloom time and - flowers with dark purple calyces distinguished it from other salvias. ‘Eveline’ is bushy with strong vertical stems loaded with flowers that keep bees and but- terflies busy for over a month. A quick trim after flowering encourages new growth and rebloom into fall. We have the keen eye of Piet Oudolf, designer and plantsman, to thank for ‘Eveline’; he introduced it from his nursery in The Netherlands. Frankly, I didn’t see all that much difference in appearance between ‘Eveline’ and ‘Pink Delight’, although ‘Eveline’ bloomed earlier and was  Deadheading isn’t essential Calyx a stronger plant overall. We decided to cut back the flower Flower stems on one-half of each plant ‘Mainacht’ was my favorite salvia until I group after flowering to determine saw ‘Caradonna’ (top photo, facing page). whether deadheading encourages The deep purple, nearly stems and rebloom. Our study revealed that there was essentially no difference calyces are striking on their own, but with in the level of rebloom between the The flowers are only half the show the blue-violet flowers, it’s a crazy hot con- two groups. It was an optical illusion  Salvias come in an array of colors, and cool of sorts—the nondeadheaded plants trast. Taller than wide, ‘Caradonna’ has a weather enhances the intensity. But looked like they had fewer new somewhat narrow habit, but was two to three flowers are just part of the show—colorful flowers because they were obscured calyces or bracts that contrast or comple- times taller than references said—reaching by the messy old stems. 36 inches tall some years. Size discrepancy ment flower colors remain ornamental long after the flowers have fallen. The showy aside, there was no question the award for calyx is as important to the floral descrip- swarthiest floral display belonged to ‘Caradon- tion as the flower color, although not all na’. Amethyst-colored flowers such as ‘Cara- calyces are equally colorful. donna’ pair splendidly with silver and gold.

finegardening.com 39 40 ‘Wesuwe’ Fine Gardening later. onabit come lighter and are ashade but itsflowers respects some in ‘Mainacht’ similar to ‘ W esuwe’ is

| june 2016

Photo: Photos, except where noted: Danielle Sherry; p. 36, Joshua McCullough; p. 37, millettephotomedia.com (top), courtesy of Plant Delights Nursery Inc. (bottom); p. 38, Kerry Ann Moore (top), Nancy J. Ondra (bottom left), millettephotomedia.com (bottom right); p. 39, gapphotos.com (left), John Swithinbank (right); p. 41, courtesy of Pat Hayward/Plant Select (bottom). Illustration: Kate Gosselin Marcus downsizing everyplantforsmallergardens, this littleguy. And whileI’mnotabigfanof knowing itwon’taffecthowmuchyoulove of ‘Mainacht’ or ‘Ostfriesland’, buthonestly, over whetherthisisadiminutiveselection summer. There seemstobeadisagreement ces blanketsthesecompactplantsnearlyall dark purple-blueflowerswithpurplecaly- in allothertraits. An exceptionalshowof but itmeasuresuptothebestof tops outatonly15 inchestallwithflowers, after beingsheared. became laxandopen, andrecoveredquickly full sun, ‘Wesuwe’ rarely had floppy stemsor eral weeksaftertheflowers have dropped. In The floral bracts holdtheirrosycolorforsev- are ashadelighterandcomeonbitlater. ‘Mainacht’ insomerespects, butitsflowers ‘Wesuwe’ (photofacingpage)issimilarto private gardensmoreand more thesedays. it showingupinmunicipalplantingsand many designersthathe’s influenced, soIsee lately. It’s beenembraced byPietOudolf and but isexperiencingarenaissanceofsorts that alonewarrants ashout-out. in thesameplaceourgardenfor22 years; a plantnotexpectedtolive, itsustaineditself forming adensegroundcoverovertime. For alkaline soils. This planthasaspreadinghabit, were troubledwithminorchlorosisinour leaves, to6 incheslongand5 inches wide, period madeupforit. Bold-texturedgreen extravagant, butamidsummer-to-frost bloom the shadedplants. The flowershowwas never duced about50 percentmoreflowersthan fact, theplantsthatreceivedmorelightpro- moist, richsoilsbutwilltolerate somesun. In bottom left, p. 38)prefersashadysitewith orous andlong-lived. Yellow salvia(photo some losseseachwinter, itprovedtobevig- our doorstep. Although theplants suffered koyamae) was uncertainwhenitarrivedon better. Marcus manarc’) isproofthatbiggernotalways the ChicagoBotanic GardeninGlencoe, Illinois. Richard Hawke is theplantevaluationmanagerat ‘W The winterhardinessofyellowsalvia( Short andsweet, Marcus has been around for a while esuwe’ hasbeenaroundforawhile ® isreasonenoughtolookdown. ® (photobottomright, p. 38) ® ( S. ‘Haeu- S. S. age, bothinsummerandwinter. The keytoitssuccessisproviding gooddrain- xeric gardens, thisplantisratedforZone5. all summerlong.T sumptuous rosy- flowersthatkeepcoming is 48 inchestallandwidecrowned with (S. ‘Royaled’).Bred inColorado,‘Royaled’ am mostexcitedabout—isWindwalker™ At thistimethesalviaIknowleast—but the smallestsalviaI’vegrown. max outat12 inchestalland15 incheswide— textured, too,andthedenselymoundedplants long. Thegreen leavesare smallandfine- bottom withslenderflowerspikesto5 inches the plantsare bluetuffets, covered from topto world where theskyisthiscolor. Inlatespring, sky blue,butIwanttoliveintheT misnomer sincetheflowersare notactually calyces andstems.Thenameisabitof other cultivarsinthetrial—withlighterpurple medium purple-blue—noticeablybluerthan (S. nemorosa‘SensationSkyBlue’)are The flowersof‘SensationkyBlue’ darker thanothernewselections. years, andthegreen leaveswere noticeably 16 inches talland18 incheswideaftertwo of anysize.Thecompact,bushyhabitwas combination thatwouldlookgoodonaplant weeks afterflowering.Thisisadeliciouscolor purple calycesthatholdtheircolorforseveral is aptgivenitsviolet-blueflowersanddark Beret’) isbilledasadwarf‘Caradonna’,which ‘Blueberry Beret’ (S.nemorosa‘Blueberry summer through earlyfall—hallelujah! look. Rebloomispossible,though,from mid- Maria’ needstobecutbackgiveitafresh color foralongtime,buteventually, even‘A tall and30 incheswide).Thecalycesholdtheir spikes coverthemoundedplants(18 inches early summer, anabundanceof5-inchflower as sultry, itisasexycolor. From midspringto feels slightlyirreverent torefer to‘A gives ‘A flowers withdeeppurplecalycesandstems since. Thepairingofbrightfuchsia-colored years ago,andithasheldmyattentionever my interest asitsfirstflowersopenedtwo ‘A ve Maria’(S.nemorosa‘A to keep aneye on ve Maria’asultrylook.Althoughit New kid outed asagreat plantfor ve Maria’)piqued s echnicolor ve Maria’ ve ‘Sensation kyBlue’ ‘ Windwalker™ ‘Blueberry Beret’ ‘A ve Maria’ E xcellent Good Fair Poor

Ra ting key

★★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★ E xcellent E xcellent E xcellent Fair Fair Fair Good E xcellent Good Good Good E xcellent E xcellent E xcellent Good E xcellent Poor E xcellent Fair Good Fair E xcellent E xcellent Fair E xcellent Fair Fair Good Fair Good Fl ow er Pr od u c ti o n Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall M idspring to early to summer; repeat early fall Late spring to early in summer; repeat midsummer E arly summer to midsummer; repeat to early fall Late spring to early to summer; repeat early fall M idsummer to late fall E arly summer to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to early to summer; repeat midfall Late spring to late to summer; repeat early fall M idspring to midsummer; repeat to early fall to M idspring; repeat midsummer Late spring to early to summer; repeat early fall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall to M idspring; repeat early fall M idspring to early summer M idspring to early summer Late spring to midsummer Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to early to summer; repeat midfall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall E arly spring to midsummer; repeat in early fall M idspring to late to spring; repeat early fall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to early summer Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to midsummer; repeat in early fall Late spring to midsummer; repeat in early fall Bl oom T i m e 6 inches 10 inches 12 inches 12 inches 3 inches 12 inches 12 inches 10 inches 10 inches 10 inches 12 inches 10 inches 10 inches 10 inches 12 inches 12 inches 24 inches 6 inches 10 inches 7 inches 6 inches 5 inches 10 inches 10 inches 10 inches 8 inches 4 inches 6 inches 12 inches 12 inches Fl ow er Sp ike L en g t h D ark purple-blue M auve-pink Purple and white Violet Pink, Pale yellow Light purple Blue-violet Violet-blue Purple-pink Violet Blue D eep blue-violet Pink R osy-pink D eep purple-blue Light purple Blue Violet-blue Lavender- blue, white Pink Bright pink D eep violet-blue Violet-blue Purple-blue Pink Blue White Violet Purple Fl ow er C o l r 30 inches 25 inches 32 inches 48 inches 20 inches - spread ing 36 inches 20 inches 36 inches 35 inches 34 inches 36 inches 36 inches 22 inches 22 inches 28 inches 30 inches 36 inches 36 inches 28 inches 32 inches 36 inches 36 inches 32 inches 36 inches 30 inches 30 inches 30 inches 40 inches 36 inches Wi d t h 15 inches 26 inches 28 inches 48 inches 10 inches 22 inches 42 inches 24 (36) inches 28 inches 32 inches 36 inches 34 inches 30 inches 26 inches 24 inches 24 inches 32 inches 24 inches 24 inches 40 inches 28 inches 21 inches 30 inches 24 inches 28 inches 24 inches 22 inches 24 inches 36 inches 26 inches Hei gh t wilight ® Salvia trial results Salvia Salvia ‘ E veline’ S. ‘ M adeline’ S . hians S. jurisicii S. koyamae S . nemorosa ‘ A methyst’ S . nemorosa ‘ C aradonna’ S. nemorosa ‘Haeumanarc’ M arcus S. nemorosa ‘Lubecca’ S. nemorosa ‘ R osenwein’ S. nemorosa ‘ R oyal ( C rimson) D istinction’ S. nemorosa ssp. tesquicola S. nemorosa ‘Wesuwe’ S. pratensis ‘Pink D elight’ S. pratensis ‘Sweet E smeralda’ S. pratensis ‘ T Serenade’ S. subpalmatinervis S. × sylvestris ‘Blauhügel’ (‘Blue Hill’) S. × sylvestris ‘Blaukönigin’ (‘Blue Queen’) S. × sylvestris ‘ D ear A nja’ S. × sylvestris ‘Forncett D awn’ S. × sylvestris ‘Lapis Lazuli’ S. × sylvestris ‘ M ainacht’ (‘ M ay N ight’) S. × sylvestris ‘ O stfriesland’ (‘ E ast Friesland’) S. × sylvestris ‘ R hapsody in Blue’ S. × sylvestris ‘ R ose Queen’ S. × sylvestris ‘ R ügen’ S. × sylvestris ‘Schneehügel’ (‘Snow Hill’) S. transsylvanica S. verticillata ‘Purple R ain’ na m e Overall g R atin ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Photo: Photo:

42 Fine Gardening | date 20xx E xcellent E xcellent E xcellent Fair Fair Fair Good E xcellent Good Good Good E xcellent E xcellent E xcellent Good E xcellent Poor E xcellent Fair Good Fair E xcellent E xcellent Fair E xcellent Fair Fair Good Fair Good Fl ow er Pr od u c ti o n O H; 800-852-5243; Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall M idspring to early to summer; repeat early fall Late spring to early in summer; repeat midsummer E arly summer to midsummer; repeat to early fall Late spring to early to summer; repeat early fall M idsummer to late fall E arly summer to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to early to summer; repeat midfall Late spring to late to summer; repeat early fall M idspring to midsummer; repeat to early fall to M idspring; repeat midsummer Late spring to early to summer; repeat early fall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall to M idspring; repeat early fall M idspring to early summer M idspring to early summer Late spring to midsummer Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to early to summer; repeat midfall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall E arly spring to midsummer; repeat in early fall M idspring to late to spring; repeat early fall Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to early summer Late spring to midsummer; repeat to midfall Late spring to midsummer; repeat in early fall Late spring to midsummer; repeat in early fall Bl oom T i m e S O U R C E M adison, Bluestone Perennials, bluestoneperennials.com MI ; C lare, Landscape Nursery, Deer-Resistant 800-595-3650; deerresistantplants.com R aleigh, NC ; 919-772-4794; Plant Delights Nursery, plantdelights.com 6 inches 10 inches 12 inches 12 inches 3 inches 12 inches 12 inches 10 inches 10 inches 10 inches 12 inches 10 inches 10 inches 10 inches 12 inches 12 inches 24 inches 6 inches 10 inches 7 inches 6 inches 5 inches 10 inches 10 inches 10 inches 8 inches 4 inches 6 inches 12 inches 12 inches Fl ow er Sp ike L en g t h D ark purple-blue M auve-pink Purple and white Violet Pink, lavender Pale yellow Light purple Blue-violet Violet-blue Purple-pink Violet Blue D eep blue-violet Pink R osy-pink D eep purple-blue Light purple Blue Violet-blue Lavender- blue, white Pink Bright pink D eep violet-blue Violet-blue Purple-blue Pink Blue White Violet Purple Fl ow er C o l r × sylvestris . 30 inches 25 inches 32 inches 48 inches 20 inches - spread ing 36 inches 20 inches 36 inches 35 inches 34 inches 36 inches 36 inches 22 inches 22 inches 28 inches 30 inches 36 inches 36 inches 28 inches 32 inches 36 inches 36 inches 32 inches 36 inches 30 inches 30 inches 30 inches 40 inches 36 inches Wi d t h 15 inches 26 inches 28 inches 48 inches 10 inches 22 inches 42 inches 24 (36) inches 28 inches 32 inches 36 inches 34 inches 30 inches 26 inches 24 inches 24 inches 32 inches 24 inches 24 inches 40 inches 28 inches 21 inches 30 inches 24 inches 28 inches 24 inches 22 inches 24 inches 36 inches 26 inches Hei gh t wilight ® Salvia ‘ E veline’ S. ‘ M adeline’ S . hians S. jurisicii S. koyamae S . nemorosa ‘ A methyst’ S . nemorosa ‘ C aradonna’ S. nemorosa ‘Haeumanarc’ M arcus S. nemorosa ‘Lubecca’ S. nemorosa ‘ R osenwein’ S. nemorosa ‘ R oyal ( C rimson) D istinction’ S. nemorosa ssp. tesquicola S. nemorosa ‘Wesuwe’ S. pratensis ‘Pink D elight’ S. pratensis ‘Sweet E smeralda’ S. pratensis ‘ T Serenade’ S. subpalmatinervis S. × sylvestris ‘Blauhügel’ (‘Blue Hill’) S. × sylvestris ‘Blaukönigin’ (‘Blue Queen’) S. × sylvestris ‘ D ear A nja’ S. × sylvestris ‘Forncett D awn’ S. × sylvestris ‘Lapis Lazuli’ S. × sylvestris ‘ M ainacht’ (‘ M ay N ight’) S. × sylvestris ‘ O stfriesland’ (‘ E ast Friesland’) S. × sylvestris ‘ R hapsody in Blue’ S. × sylvestris ‘ R ose Queen’ S. × sylvestris ‘ R ügen’ S. × sylvestris ‘Schneehügel’ (‘Snow Hill’) S. transsylvanica S. verticillata ‘Purple R ain’ na m e

Better men and women than I disagree on the names. In the end, though, it’s it’s though, than I disagree on the names. In end, Better men and women of what species name is attached. regardless that you want the cultivar on’t be confused by the names by be confused D on’t and identification of salvias is a bit muddled. Many the The nomenclature nemorosa and S. bounce around between S. popular cultivars ▾ Overall g R atin ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ti p Photo: Photo:

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