Salvia glutinosa

RHS Plant Profile
sticky clary

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sticky clary RHS

Other common names

sticky sage, yellow-flowered hardy sage, Jupiter's distaff

Synonyms

Salvia cleistogama misapplied

Plants for pollinators
Herbaceous Perennial
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A clump-forming perennial to 90cm tall, with sticky, ovate, mid-green leaves to 20cm long, and pale yellow flowers marked with brown, in loose spikes in summer and early autumn

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
West–facing or South–facing or East–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
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)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Lamiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
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
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Eurasia

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained soil in sun or part shade but tolerant of dry shade

Propagation

Propagate by seed in containers in a cold frame in spring or propagate by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Patio and container plants
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders

Pruning

Cut down spent flower spikes to prolong flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, capsid bug, rosemary beetle and leafhoppers

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), powdery mildews, verticillium wilt and foot and root rots