Flowers · Perennials and shrubs
Caradonna salvia
Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna'
A border perennial with dark stems and violet flower spikes, repeating if it is cut back. It wants sun and is happier in ordinary soil than in a rich, wet one.
Growing conditions
Soilchalk, loam, sand
Moisturewell-drained
pHneutral, alkaline
Position
SunFull sun
Aspecteast, south, west
Exposuresheltered, exposed
HardinessH7
Size
Time to maturityFlowers the first summer
Max height0.4–0.5 m
Max spread0.3–0.4 m
In the garden
Plant in spring. After the first flowering, shear the spikes off and it will send another flush. Leave the last stems through winter for structure.
Slugs may graze young growth. It is otherwise an easy perennial.
Colour and scent
A mark in a season means the plant is doing that for at least part of it.
| Season | Foliage | Flower | Scent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Leaves | — | — |
| Summer | Leaves | violet | — |
| Autumn | Leaves | violet | — |
| Winter | — | — | — |
- JanDormant
- FebDormant
- MarDormant
- AprFoliage
- MayFoliage
- Junviolet
- Julviolet
- Augviolet
- Sepviolet
- OctDormant
- NovDormant
- DecDormant
Jobs
These dates suit a mild southern garden. A northern or Scottish plan shifts spring and autumn jobs by a fortnight.
25 March
Cut to the base
Remove the old dark stems of Caradonna as new leaves appear at ground level.
20 July
Shear the first flush
Cut faded spikes back to the leaves for flowers later in summer.