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Showy salvia — tall, dark & handsome

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Salvia Amistad. Credit: Annie's Annuals & Perennials
Salvia Amistad. Credit: Annie's Annuals & PerennialsAnnie's Annuals & Perennials

The arrival of a new salvia on the market is always an event, especially one as sensational as Salvia ‘Amistad.’ This Salvia guaranitica hybrid showcases glossy green deltoid-shaped leaves that can reach 5 inches in length. Its lightly pebbled surface adds an element of texture to the plant. This fast-growing beauty is native to Brazil and Argentina and can easily reach 5 to 6 feet in a year. Not content to flower only in the fall like many salvias, this exuberant sage starts blooming in the late spring and continues late into the fall. Guaraniticas, like the popular ‘Black and Blue,’ are known for their dark, almost black calyxes, and Amistad is no exception. The vivid purple flowers, especially large on this variety, seem to explode out of the midnight bracts. There’s no missing this salvia when it’s in full bloom — just follow the bees and hummingbirds that will have heard the flowers’ siren call.

Because of its size, a single specimen of this salvia can make a dramatic statement in a sunny bed. It works well against the side of a house or near a walkway, where one can enjoy not only its floriferous beauty but the company of the hummers and butterflies that will be regular visitors.

Purple and gold combine well, so consider planting autumn-blooming Rudbeckias or Gaillardias at this salvia’s feet. In a larger bed it will mix well with hardy landscape shrubs such as Coleonema ‘Sunset Gold,’ the variegated Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’ or Spirea ‘Goldflame.’ Although this salvia is larger than most, it can flourish in a sizable decorative pot, especially if you use it as a focal point in your garden.

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Earl Nickel is an Oakland nurseryman and freelance writer.

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Fun fact

San Marcos Growers reported that this plant was discovered by Rolando Uria, an agronomy professor at the University of Buenos Aires, who found it at a plant sale in Argentina in 2005. Uria published in a garden blog his wish that this plant be freely shared with everybody. This is why he named it amistad, which in Spanish means friendship. It has thus become known as the Friendship salvia.

Cultivation

Plant in full sun to light shade in temperate zones; give a bit of relief from the heat in hotter areas. This salvia likes fertile, well-drained soil and regular water to get it established. Once established, it can handle deeper but less frequent waterings. It will remain evergreen in milder climates or it can be grown as an annual in colder areas. Prune back in early spring to flush out new growth. USDA Zone 8.

Availability

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Find this salvia at your local nursery or garden center in gallon pots. Four-inch pots may be available from www.anniesannuals.com. Similar varieties include the aforementioned S. ‘Black and Blue’ and a new ‘Wendy’s Wish’ variety called ‘Love and Wishes.’

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