ROCKING SALVIAS: Color, performance & pollinators
Rockin salvias are living up to that name across the country. I have never claimed to be a Madison Avenue marketing guru but the name Rockin for a salvia caught me as strange. Then again, who am I to instruct Proven Winners one of the most successful plant groups in the history of horticulture.
True to the name Rockin Deep Purple and Rockin Fuchsia are checking off the list. They are Rockin with color, Rockin with performance and Rockin with pollinators. That makes them winners in my book. I could tell they were winners before I had a chance to plant.
The newest, Rockin salvia Blue Suede Shoes, has champion written on it as well. These plants, have indeed been Rockin in my garden and commercial plantings around town so I have to concur that Proven Winners really did select a most appropriate name.
You’ll find the Rockin salvias at your local garden center this spring and as always by online or mail order. While 2019 was the year of the Salvia most of us can’t imagine a year without them.
Rockin Deep Purple, and Rockin Blue Suede Shoes will reach 30 to 40 inches in height while Rockin Fuchsia is slightly shorter. They all are listed as Salvia hybrids and all have black or dark calyces. They will make you think that Salvia guaranitica or anise sage could be one of the parents.
They are touted to be perennial in zones 9 and warmer and I promise they are worth every penny to grow them as annuals. I will tell you all of mine came back in zone 8 in 2020. So, in San Marcos they have great possibilities of perennializing.
Think about how much fun it will be to grow flowers for the hummingbirds versus hanging feeders, using sugar or buying hummingbird food. You won’t be changing out water cleaning feeders but simply watching them feed on the plants you are growing for them. You will also be bringing in bees and butterflies. I’ll probably still hang a feeder too.
Also, in the Rockin series is Rockin Playing the Blues and Rockin Golden Delicious. Rockin Playing the Blues is of a parentage similar to Indico Spires, or Mystic Spires and Gold Delicious is a chartreuse colored pineapple sage that wi sport red flowers. They too, will bring in hummingbirds, bees and butterflies.
Your combinations in the landscape are only limited by your imagination. I had the opportunity to photograph Rockin Fuchsia salvia partnered with Truffula Pink gomphrena in a large horse trough container that had Superbells Coralina calibrahoa spilling over the rim for a look that was simply sensational.
Sunlight and organic rich well-drained soil will give you the green thumb when it comes to growing the Rocking salvias. We can all celebrate that they are not on the deer menu. The planting season will be here faster than you think so tell your favorite garden center to make sure they have them on hand. Follow me on Facebook @NormanWinter TheGardenGuy for more photos and inspiration.
