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Shrubs

Salvia granatensis (Ro)

cliff rosemary

A bushy shrub from southern Spain, exclusively endemic to Granada, is an endangered species commonly named white rosemary. It grows mainly on seaside limestone cliffs and has a dense habit with woolly, silvery-green linear leaves, and violet-blue lipped flowers with a brown upper lip, flowering in late winter and early spring

Synonyms

Rosmarinus tomentosus

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Neutral, Alkaline

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or 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)

Botanical details

Family: Lamiaceae
Native to the UK: 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

How to grow

Cultivation

Will grow well in coastal settings preferably in chalky rocky soil in full sun. It benefits from the salt spray from the sea.

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Coastal
Mediterranean climate plants
Rock garden
City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Wildlife gardens

Pruning

Pruning group 9 in spring; cut back spent flower spikes to prolong flowering

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

High Risk Host for Xylella fastidiosa. May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), powdery mildews, verticillium wilt and foot and root rots

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