Salvia 'Amistad' (PBR)
sage
This award-winning perennial is celebrated for its long flowering period, producing striking deep purple, tubular flowers with near-black calyces and...
Plant description
Salvia 'Amistad' forms a bushy, upright habit with aromatic, bright green, slightly downy leaves that provide a lush backdrop to its dramatic blooms. Loved by bees and butterflies, it is perfect for pollinator-friendly gardens, ornamental borders, or patio containers.
Thriving in well-drained soil and a sunny position, it requires minimal maintenance beyond regular deadheading to prolong flowering. Ideal for adding vibrant colour and texture to coastal, dry, or traditional garden settings.
Eventual height & spread
Flowering period
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Plant features
Position
Full sun / light shade
Rate of growth
Average
Soil
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness
Borderline hardy (will need protection in winter in colder areas)
How to care for Salvia Amistad (PBR):
To keep the plant blooming throughout the season, promptly remove flower spikes as soon as they begin to fade - this deadheading encourages the plant to produce more flowers rather than putting energy into seed production.
In early spring, apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted garden compost or manure around the base of the plant to retain moisture, suppress weeds, and provide essential nutrients as it breaks down. Ensure the mulch is spread evenly, but keep it away from the stems to prevent rot. A supplementary granular fertiliser (such as the mineral based Growmore) is advised in the early part of the season, once the plant begins to sprout.
Regular watering, particularly in dry spells, will help maintain healthy growth, but be careful not to waterlog the soil, as this salvia prefers well-drained conditions.
Finally, consider providing some protection in exposed or colder regions of the UK by covering with a double layer of horticultural fleece or dry mulch (bark chippings/ composted pine needles) to insulate the roots, or by using a cloche to protect the plant against hard frosts.
Please note:
GOES WELL WITH
Which plants need cloching?
Frost tender plants can be encouraged to grow far more quickly under cloches and one group of plants, the cucurbits, benefit from the extra warmth overnight. This allows them to photosynthesise for longer and squash, courgette and outdoor cucumber plants
Read full articleHow to use those dreamy flower spires
There's one garden essential that brings a planting scheme to life and it's upright flower spikes that soar heavenwards. They add drama and perspective to all your other planting and, as they open from the bottom upwards, each spire offers a glorious co
Read full articleSummer stars from warmer climates
When we are all, hopefully, enjoying the hotter more humid days in July and the longer evenings there is a different range of plants that come into their own in our gardens, ones found naturally close to the equator or in the upper reaches of the Souther
Read full articleOver wintering half hardy plants in pots
You can never quite predict how severe our winter weather will be. In the absence of a crystal ball, it is best in October to make contingency plans to help your plants to survive while there will still be some warmth in the sun and the soil. Hardiness is
Read full article