Plant Finder

Other Names:  Ornamental Sage, Tropical Sage

Group/Class:  Grandstand Series

Description:

A uniform growing salvia producing large spikes of deep purple flowers that rise above lovely green foliage; a beautiful border or bedding plant with its dense, bushy form, looks fantastic in containers; heat and humidity tolerant

Ornamental Features

Grandstand™ Purple Salvia has masses of beautiful spikes of purple tubular flowers rising above the foliage from late spring to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its glossy heart-shaped leaves remain green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Grandstand™ Purple Salvia is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Grandstand™ Purple Salvia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Grandstand™ Purple Salvia will grow to be about 16 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 14 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 12 inches apart. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Grandstand™ Purple Salvia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.