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Scarlet impressions
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Paint your garden red with Salvia shrubs
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Originally from Brazil, Salvia plants are herbaceous annuals and evergreen rhizomous shrubs found widely in tropical regions with the exception of hot, humid areas. They fall under Family Labiatae and usually grow in sunny sites, rocky slopes and moist grassy land. They are aromatic and hairy; some species are very woolly.
The square stems bear opposite pairs of simple, entire, toothed or scalloped leaves. Basal leaves differ from stem leaves. Flowers are two lipped — the upper lip is erect and hooded while the lower lip is two-toothed and more spreading. The calyx is funnel shaped and the bracts are ovate. The scarlet flowers are borne in axillary whorls on erect stems forming terminal spikes.
Salvia plants are effective in sunny borders or beds. They have brilliant colours that are ideal for bedding and the large hardy ones can be used for borders and containers. They attract bees and some have culinary and medicinal values. Salvia grows in fertile, well-drained garden soil.
Salvia splendens have flowers in long spikes; floral parts are in bright scarlet; leaves are oval, long pointed, smooth in texture with rounded teeth, used in annual borders, window boxes, mixed bedding to create splashes of colour. Propagation is by seeds. Water carefully so that the soil is moist but never wet.
CHITRA RADHAKRISHNAN
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