These gemlike splashes of color are brightening hopes that Florida's gardens can sparkle with blooms during the stifling summer.
By JOHN A. STARNES JR., Special to the Times
Published May 10, 2003
[Times photos: John A. Starnes Jr.]
A spike of Salvia indigo shows off one of the many colors of the species.
Salvia coccinea’s bright red blossoms can create a spark for the eyes during summer in a Florida garden.
If Florida is the Land of Flowers, why do our yards sulk in drab green every summer?
Most annuals languish in the heat so quickly that by July, those silk and plastic flowers are a wonderful temptation. But you can turn desperation into delight by planting perennial flowers that don't just tolerate the heat but thrive on it.
The huge family of perennials called salvias is amazing. Some even flourish in the coldest climates as summer perennials. But many come from subtropical climates, and Florida growers are getting hip to them quickly as homeowners yearn to beautify their landscapes with hassle-free flowers that also attract butterflies.
The subtropical species of salvias offer a rainbow of colors, come back after hard freezes if deeply planted (since the 1970s I have planted perennials 4 inches deeper than they grew in their pots), make lovely cut flowers, often reseed and come in varying heights.
Salvias belong to the mint family and have square stems, long flower spikes and aromatic leaves (the smells include anise, pineapple, medicine and old tennis shoe). But unlike true edible mints, many glory in our climate if they are given full sun and fertile soil, are kept well-mulched and get a deep weekly watering during the spring drought.
Varieties from Mexico, south Texas and Central and South America will quickly transform a boring bed into a resplendent crown of living jewels. Keep your eyes peeled for these:
Salvia coccinea (bright red)
Salvia guaranitica (royal blue to deep purple) mail order
Salvia uliginosa (sky blue)
Salvia "Indigo Spires" (lavender blue)
Salvia greggii (pinks, reds, melon shades) mail order
Salvia leucantha (velvety lavender purple)
Salvia elegans (bright red, pineapple scented foliage)
Salvia splendens "Van Houttei" (deep burgundy)
Salvia patens (bright sapphire blue)
Salvia darcyii (cherry red) mail order
Salvia chiapensis (magenta) mail order
Salvia madrensis (butter yellow)
Salvia darcyi (bright orange-red) mail order
Salvia farinacea (blue-lavender)
Salvia sinaloensis (true blue)
A surprising number are offered by progressive Florida growers in garden centers, with rarer varieties available by mail order. So invite the gemlike beauty of these salvias into your landscape and feel as if someone waved a magic wand over your formerly forgettable, boring, bland yard.
RESOURCE:
Logee's Greenhouses, toll-free 1-888-330-8038, e-mail logee-info@logees.com - John A. Starnes Jr., born in Key West, is an avid organic gardener and rosarian who studies, collects, cultivates and hybridizes roses for the diverse regions of Florida and Colorado. He can be reached at his new e-mail address: JohnAStarnes@aol.com
