Salvia nemorosa 'Lubecca'
In summer there are so many plants vying for attention as they burst into flower. One plant that stands out as a great choice for the garden is Salvia nemorosa 'Lubecca'. This easy to grow clump forming perennial produces heads of intense violet purple flowers through early summer and if cut back will produce a second flush in late summer.
At RHS Garden Hyde Hall we use this salvia in formal and naturalistic schemes where its intense colour stands out. It looks great on the Dry Garden combined with vivid orange Californian poppies and on Clover Hill where it blends with perennials such as Kniphofia.
Vital statistics
- Common name
- Balkan clary 'Lubecca', Steppe sage
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Height & spread
- 75cm (30in) x 30-45cm (12-18in) wide
- Form
- Herbaceous perennial
- Soil
- Light, moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil
- Aspect
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy
Salvia
Salvia is a large genus of about 900 species of often aromatic, flowering plants containing mainly herbs and numerous sub-shrubs, many of them tender to some degree. They include annuals, biennials, evergreen and herbaceous perennials, and shrubs. They originate from temperate and tropical parts of the world but not very hot and humid regions, and grow mainly in sunny places.
The two-lipped flowers are normally borne in whorls along the stems during late summer or early autumn.
Annual salvias, and perennials grown as annuals, are grown for their colourful bracts and provide brilliant colour for bedding, infilling or containers. Common bedding salvias include cultivars of the scarlet sage Salvia splendens such as 'Scarlet King' which is compact with dark green leaves and scarlet flowers. Some species like S. viridis (annual clary) are also popular if grown in light woodland or wildflower meadows, where they attract bees and other wildlife.
Several species have deliciously aromatic foliage, the most well-known being common sage, Salvia officinalis. Sage is a well-used culinary herb, often associated with pork dishes and famously used with onion in stuffing. S. sclarea (biennial clary) and S. viridis (annual clary) are also in widespread cultivation as culinary herbs and for medicinal uses.
The name salvia is derived from the Latin 'salvare', meaning to save or heal, referring to the supposed medicinal properties of certain species.
Salvia nemorosa 'Lubecca'
This species, which grows from Europe to central Asia, is an erect perennial with many branches and mid-green leaves up to 10cm (4in) long. The flowers, produced from summer to autumn, can be violet to purple, or white to pink. They have purple bracts, and are up to 1cm (0.5in) long.
Salvia nemorosa 'Lubecca' is a bushy, erect perennial with greyish-green leaves and small deep violet flowers with maroon bracts in summer and autumn. The name nemorosa means growing in groves or woods.
Cultivation
- Grow in light moderately fertile humus-rich well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade.
- Trim or lightly cut back shoots that spoil the symmetry. Deadhead regularly.
- Slugs and snails will attack young growth.
- To prolong flowering remove the flower spikes as soon they start to fade.
- Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant in spring.
- Flowers June to August and again in October if cut back hard after first flowers fade.
Propagation
AGM
The RHS Floral Trials Subcommittee awarded Salvia nemorosa 'Lubecca'
an Award of Garden Merit and described it as:
'Neat, clump-forming, hardy, herbaceous perennial, 90cm tall, 1.2m spread, staking not normally required. Leaves to 8x4cm, lanceolate, matt, mid green, margin notched, petiole 2mm long. Flowering stems, pale green much branched. Inflorescence to 25cm long, densely set with whorls of flowers. Flower 10 x 2mm, violet blue. Calyx and bracts pinkish purple, persist after flower drop and contribute as much to overall colour effect as flower.'