Whole and half shrubs from the salvia assortment

ARTICLE PLANT SELECTION

Ronald Houtman, Friday 15 August 2025

510 sec

the flowers of salvia immediately show us that this is a genus from the mint family

the species and cultivars of salvia are popular, widely used plants. and rightly so, because they are strong, bloom beautifully, and have pleasantly scented foliage. moreover, almost every garden enthusiast knows them. traditionally, the perennials, such as salvia nemorosa and S. sylvestris, have been the most cultivated and applied. but part of the genus consists of (semi-)shrubs. and that happens to be the group that is rapidly growing in popularity.

Salvia 'Aphrodite'

the flowers of salvia immediately show us that this is a genus from the mint family, the lamiaceae. this is a very large and important plant family. in total, the mint family comprises over 200 genera, with nearly 7,000 species. and then there are the hybrids and many cultivars.
salvia has many well-known relatives. just a small selection: agastache, lamium, lavandula, monarda, nepeta, prunella and stachys. in addition, many representatives can be found in the spice rack. these are in fact also perennials: mentha (mint), origanum (oregano), rosmarinus (rosemary) and thymus (thyme). and to complete the picture: several shrubs also belong to this family, namely callicarpa, caryopteris, perovskia, phlomis and vitex.
how remarkable is it then that the genus salvia is represented in all three groups? the genus is not small; with about 900 species, it is one of the largest genera within the lamiaceae. except for antarctica, salvia occurs on all continents, although australia has to make do with just one species.

aromatic scent

every salvia has square stems and leaves that are always opposite each other. the effect is not always very strong, but when rubbed, the leaves and stems of salvia are always aromatically scented. the flowers are bilaterally symmetrical and usually consist of two petals: one at the top, usually forming a kind of hood over the stamens and style, and a larger, broader petal at the bottom. this petal forms the characteristic lip that all salvia (and most other relatives) have in common. the family is not called the mint family for nothing.

taxonomic puzzle

the perennials of the genus salvia have already received considerable attention in Stad en Groen 6-2019. it was briefly mentioned there, but this article is about the shrubs in the genus. more specifically: about the species salvia greggii, S. microphylla and the hybrid between these species, S. ×jamensis.
the species salvia greggii and S. microphylla both occur in mexico. S. microphylla is found throughout mexico and has also naturalized in the u.s. states of arizona, california and new mexico. S. greggii has a much smaller distribution, ranging from central and west texas south to eastern central mexico. the two species differ in detail. S. greggii grows somewhat more compactly and its leaves are always entire, whereas those of S. microphylla are serrated or wavy-serrated. also, the upper lip (hood) of S. greggii is always hairy, while that of S. microphylla is glabrous to only lightly hairy. finally, but certainly not unimportant, S. greggii is slightly less hardy than S. microphylla. there are differences, but the difficulty begins when the two species start crossing.
in nature, the two species cross in areas where their ranges overlap: almost the entire northeast of mexico. the hybrid is called S. ×jamensis, named after the town of jame in coahuila in northeastern mexico. this hybrid has characteristics of both parents. in some plants, the influence of S. greggii is stronger, in others that of S. microphylla. in addition to natural hybrids, many crosses have also arisen in gardens and nurseries. and to make it even more complicated: there may also have been backcrossing with one of the species or crosses made between S. ×jamensis cultivars.
in short: it is very difficult to say with 100 percent certainty to which group the current cultivars in this complex of two species and their hybrid belong. it would be safe to call them all S. ×jamensis, but for some older cultivars it is known that they belong to S. greggii or S. microphylla. and then there are the plants that are listed without a species or hybrid name - which essentially means 'we don't know either to which group this cultivar belongs'. to avoid this uncertainty - at least in this article - the cultivars are mentioned here without species or hybrid names.
the plants have no official dutch names (naktuinbouw list), but S. microphylla is sometimes called 'mexican shrub sage', which is actually quite appropriate. the name 'autumn sage' is also sometimes encountered, but since the plants start flowering as early as june, this is a less suitable name.

in nature, the two species cross in areas where their ranges overlap

shrubs

apart from the above taxonomic explanation, they are very useful plants. thanks to climate change, they can now be well applied in our climate, although they will still (partly) freeze during severe frost or prolonged frost periods. they are therefore shrubs, growing with thin woody twigs. they usually grow to about 80 cm high, but under favorable conditions the plants can reach 1.5 m. these are exceptions, however. the plants grow bushy and have fresh to dark green leaves, always opposite each other. as with almost every salvia, the leaves of S. greggii, S. microphylla and S. ×jamensis also emit a pleasant scent when rubbed. the plants bloom long and profusely, almost without exception from may until the first frost. the flowers grow in upright clusters, always in pairs. they consist of a hood-shaped upper lip and a striking, broad lower lip. the stamens and style are hidden under the hood-shaped upper lip, with the stigma protruding at the front. the flowers produce lots of nectar and pollen and attract many bees and bumblebees. especially later in the season, when fewer plants are in bloom, this food source is important for insects.
naturally, salvia greggii flowers with a dark red lower lip and a more pinkish red upper lip. in S. microphylla the lower lip is red when opening and turns more magenta after opening. the upper lip is pinkish red. even more remarkable is that in the cultivars and hybrids almost the entire color range is available, from white to dark purple, and there are also yellow, orange and bicolored flowers.

hardiness

the color palette is endless and thanks to breeding and selection, a broad, hardy assortment is now available. it is well known that the concept of hardiness is not only about withstanding minimum temperatures. many more variables play a role. for shrub-like salvia, the soil is crucial - not so much the soil type, but especially the moisture content of the soil. the plants cannot tolerate standing water around their roots. if the soil remains too wet during a mild winter, this is often fatal for the plants. a well-drained soil, where excess water quickly drains away, is therefore essential for winter survival. in addition, the microclimate is important. plant shrub-like salvia preferably in a somewhat sheltered location, at least in such a way that the plants are not exposed to freezing north or east winds. the fact that we have hardly had moderate to severe frost in recent years, of course, does not mean that it will not occur in the (near) future.
the plants grow in any well-drained soil, but prefer slightly acidic, nutrient-rich sandy soils. with their mexican origin, it is clear that they can tolerate quite a bit of drought and heat. they are true warmth lovers that prefer full sun, although they also tolerate light shade just fine.

Salvia 'Royal Bumble'

applications

whereas shrub-like salvia cultivars used to be known mainly as container plants, in recent decades we fortunately see them increasingly applied as garden plants. large-scale use in public spaces is still a step too far. the conditions (location, soil, maintenance level) are considerably harsher than in (private) gardens and the plants still prove to be just a little too unreliable in practice.
the good news is that a growing number of cultivars have proven themselves in recent years in our climate as garden plants. indeed, the number of cultivars is growing so strongly that we can hardly see the forest for the trees. of course, there are a number of very well-known, proven performers, such as 'Hot Lips', 'Nachtvlinder' and 'Royal Bumble', but for many newer cultivars it is still a bit of trial and error. in most cases, however, this does not lead to serious errors, as the plants tend to perform reasonably to very well.

Salvia 'Hot Lips'

'Hot Lips'

the cultivar that has contributed most to the growing popularity of shrub-like salvia is 'Hot Lips'. a certain alta gracia, a household help from oaxaca (mexico) working for botanist richard turner, who was associated with the california strybing arboretum, brought this plant in a bouquet for her boss. the flowers are spectacular in color. the upper lip and upper half of the lower lip are white, while the lower half of the lower lip is bright red. depending on the temperature, the flowers may turn completely white (in cooler weather) to completely red (in warmer weather). it is a bushy plant that is not among the hardiest cultivars, but it can certainly do well in the garden. cutting it back hard in spring will stimulate growth and eventually produce a stronger plant.
the popularity of 'Hot Lips' is also evident from the various derivative varieties that ride on its success. 'Dysceri' (CHERRY LIPS) most closely resembles 'Hot Lips', but the red is more pinkish red and the tip of the upper lip is also pinkish red. from the same english breeder, david dyson, comes the much more spectacular 'Dysceri' (CHERRY LIPS). this one has a deep purple lower lip and a purple tip on the upper lip. a third derivative is 'Jeremy' (PINK LIPS). this one has a bright pink lower lip.
in all three of these varieties, the colored parts can make up a larger or smaller portion of the flower, depending on the temperature.

'Royal Bumble'

in 2002, this excellent cultivar was introduced by kwekerij bastin in limburg and it is still incredibly popular today. and rightly so; it is a strong cultivar with good bushy growth, abundant flowering and excellent hardiness. the flowers are intense red and therefore always attract attention. perhaps it is not the easiest color to combine, but especially when warm or striking colors are desired, it is an almost indispensable cultivar.
a few years ago, kwekerij bastin introduced 'Royal Velours', which has slightly darker red flowers, but stands out especially because of its almost black stems and flower buds. this makes the plant more striking in contrast.

Salvia 'Nachtvlinder'

'Nachtvlinder'

a cultivar that is especially well-known in the netherlands is 'Nachtvlinder'. this is not only due to the dutch cultivar name, which is rather difficult to pronounce in english and french, but also because of its origin. the plant originated at the organic nursery De Hessenhof in ede as a seedling of 'Royal Bumble', probably pollinated by a dark red flowering salvia greggii hybrid. the result is a strong plant with a beautiful deep red-purple flower color with a velvety sheen. this makes it a very useful plant in borders, as a resting point, but also as a complementary color against orange or white flowering perennials. because 'Nachtvlinder' has a fairly loose growth habit, it is best pruned back in spring. the plant will eventually become bushier and produce longer flower spikes.

a cultivar that is especially well-known in the netherlands is 'Nachtvlinder'

color palette

the descriptions of 'Hot Lips', 'Nachtvlinder' and 'Royal Bumble' already show that shrub-like salvia are available in different colors. but the color palette is much broader. white, yellow, orange, pink, red, blue and purple - it's all there. it is impossible to give a complete overview of the available cultivars here, but the following list contains recommended cultivars for our climate.

white

'Clotted Cream' is cream-white with green calyces. this creates a bright color impression. a second cultivar, 'Gletsjer', blooms pure white, with medium green calyces and darker green leaves. the contrast between flowers and foliage is greater than with 'Clotted Cream'. a newer cultivar is 'Kolmadona' (MAGICAL DONAU). the flowers are white with a barely perceptible touch of purple. the calyces are purplish brown, which strongly enhances the contrast.

yellow

'Amarillo' and 'Melen' are both soft yellow with medium green calyces, which in 'Melen' are often slightly purple-tinged. 'Golden Girl' has a slightly darker yellow lower lip and dark yellow upper lip and corolla tube. as a result, the color impression is somewhat warmer than that of 'Amarillo' and 'Melen'.

Salvia 'Flammenn'

orange

this is a somewhat tricky color to define, because there are quite a few nuances: from salmon-orange in 'Aphrodite' to red-orange in the breton 'Flammenn'. the flowers of 'Papajan' are truly orange.

pink

what applies to orange also applies to pink. this color comes in many shades. and the fact that different people interpret colors differently doesn't help when describing them. what one person calls pink, another may describe as purple ...
'Stormy Pink' is salmon pink with a small white spot at the base of the lower lip. 'Salmon Dance' (what's in a name) is also salmon pink. the dark calyces and stems create a nice contrast.
lighter pink, but with a dark pink upper lip and corolla tube, is 'Lucia'. this gives the flowers a somewhat playful appearance. 'Pluenn', the breton sister of 'Flammenn', is clearly lighter pink.
clearly darker pink are the flowers of 'Pink Blush' and 'Pink Dream'. in both cultivars, the dark calyces enhance the deep, warm, pink flower color. in 'No Shame' and 'Raspberry Royale' the pink flower color leans more towards light purple and will be described as such by some. leaning even more towards purplish red is the striking warm flower color of 'Dyson's Gem'. the particularly bright pink flower color of 'Cerro Potosi' also leans more towards reddish pink.

red

besides the already mentioned benchmark 'Royal Bumble', there are of course more red-flowering cultivars. 'Makris' has relatively large, beautiful red flowers, again with darker calyces. the less common cultivars 'Newby Hall' and 'Wendy's Surprise' have deep red flowers with a touch of dark pink in them. this makes the color impression less 'red'. here too we find a cultivar from the MAGICAL RIVER series: 'Kolmazam' (MAGICAL ZAMBEZI). the flowers of this cultivar, introduced by Kolster BV from boskoop, are velvety red with purplish black calyces.

Salvia 'Christine Yeo'

purple and blue

in addition to the already mentioned 'Nachtvlinder', 'Christine Yeo' also has dark purple flowers. the flowers of 'Lilac Dream' can be described as bright purple. most people will describe this color as 'true purple'. lighter purple, but with larger flowers, is 'Gea Viola'. the bright purple flowers therefore stand out a bit more. 'La Grande Boom', finally, has striking, light purple flowers with the lower three-quarters of the lower lip being lighter lilac purple.
lastly, attention to a special color in the palette. 'Delice Aquamarine', from the belgian breeder jan de busschere, has unique, soft lilac-blue flowers. it is therefore the 'most blue' shrub-like salvia available.

conclusion

socially speaking, of course, climate change is dubious, but for the use of shrub-like salvia it works in our favor. within a few decades, this group of colorful plants changed from container plants into garden plants. the growing conditions are still somewhat specific, but the plants have now become commonplace. there are many cultivars available in an enormous color palette and it seems only a matter of time before these plants will also appear in public spaces. who dares?

this article was previously published on august 15, 2025 on the website
of Stad + Groen.

Kwekerij De Hessenhof Kolster BV

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