Silver Sage Salvia argentea
- Phonetic Spelling
- SAL-vee-ah ar-jen-TAY-ah
- Description
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Biennial; large white wooly leaves; declines with heat and summer rain; well-drained soil. Avoid wet soils especially in winter. Grown specifically for their leaves they appear in a rosette the first year, flowers appear in the second growing season but after flowering, the plant dies. Cutting back the flowers stalks when they appear may promote longevity of the plant. It will self-seed in the garden if left to flower. Foliage suffers in hot and humid climates south of zone 7a. It may also be propagated by removing lateral root shoots in the spring.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Slugs and snails. Stem and root rot, powdery mildew, rust and leaf spot may be problems.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Artemis'
- 'Artemis'
- 'Artemis'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Artemis'
- 'Artemis'
- 'Artemis'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Salvia
- Species:
- argentea
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mediterranean, Southern Europe, Northern Africa
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Deer, drought, dry soil.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Coarse
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- 12 inches-3 feet
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Pink
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Description:
- Early summer, white tinged with pink tubular hooded flowers whorled on a 2'-3' tall stem
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- White
- Leaf Feel:
- Soft
- Velvety
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Downy, felt like large (8" long 6" wide) wrinkled leaves that form a rosette.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Small Space
- Landscape Theme:
- Children's Garden
- Garden for the Blind
- Nighttime Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
