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Salvia argentea

silver sage

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

  • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
  • Available to buy
  • Of good constitution
  • Essentially stable in form & colour
  • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
Sold by 22 nurseries

  • Other common names silver sage
    silver clary

    silvery clary
    silvery-leaved sage

    see more

  • Synonyms Salvia sclarea 'Argentea'

  • Family Lamiaceae

  • Genus Salvia can be annuals, biennials, herbaceous or evergreen perennials, or shrubs. They have paired, simple or pinnately lobed, often aromatic leaves and 2-lipped flowers in whorls, forming simple or branched spikes or racemes

  • Details S. argentea is a biennial or short-lived perennial, forming a rosette of broadly ovate, silvery-woolly leaves to 20cm in length, with erect stems bearing panicles of blush-white flowers in late summer

  • Plant range Mediterranean

Characteristics

  • Foliage Semi-evergreen

  • Habit Clump-forming

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H5

Colour

Sunlight

  • Full Sun

  • Aspect South-facing

  • Exposure Exposed or Sheltered

Soil

  • Chalk

    Chalk

  • Loam

    Loam

  • Sand

    Sand

  • MoistureWell-drained

  • SoilChalk, Loam, Sand

  • pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 0.5-1 metres

  • Ultimate spread 0.1-0.5 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 2-5 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow in light, moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil. Best in full sun but can tolerate light partial shade

Propagation Propagate by seed in pots in a cold frame in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types Wall-side Borders Flower borders and beds Gravel Garden Mediterranean Climate Plants

How to care

Pruning Often dies after flowering so if you grow it for its foliage, remove flowers before they open

Pests May get slugs, snails and leafhoppers

Diseases Generally disease free

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