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Salvia bracteata
Salvia sp. Robin's Blue

Salvia Seeds

You’ve probably grown a few, but the genus Salvia can easily keep you busy trying new species for the rest of your life. From drought-tolerant shrubs to cushion forming rock garden plants and tropical leafy monsters that get covered in flowers, it’s impossible not to find a Salvia that can fulfill your gardening needs. They are very easy to grow from seed and in many cases reaching flowering within a year or two. Follow the salvia madness but beware, once you’re hooked, it’s for life!

Listings in green are new or returning for Autumn 2023.

Salvia sclarea var.turkestanica
Salvia x westerae 'Petra'
Salvia virgata blue form

Salvia Seed List

Salvia aethiopis 3€/30seeds

Coming from plains across the Balkans and Anatolia, this biennial will provide interest with its big silver leaves in the first year and huge candelabra inflorescences of hundreds of creamy white flowers in the second. It will self-seed in the garden so be aware of that when placing it.

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Salvia apiana 3€/30seeds

The famous white sage of California, beloved for its amazing scent. It needs smoke treatment to germinate and grows into a large plant in time with up to 2m tall flower stems covered with white flowers over a long time. Make sure it doesn't get watered in summer otherwise tends to be short lived.


Salvia argentea, green leaves 3€/30seeds

This form of silver sage, originally collected in olive yards near Athens, has greener leaves that are not felty as the more classic grey form. It is a biennial and in order to reach its maximum potential should be sown in spring for flowering the next year. If it is positioned in a well-drained spot and the spent flowers removed before they set leaves it can live and flower another couple of years.


Salvia argentea, silver leaves 3€/30seeds

Similar to the above but with silver, very hairy, felty leaves. It is also more cold-hardy than the above, as this form is found in higher elevations naturally and tends to come back after flowering for more than two years.


Salvia 'Blue Note’ 3.50€/20seeds

A small rounded shrub with tiny leaves and hundreds of small purple-blue flowers for months on end. Comes true from seed.

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Salvia bracteata 6€/10seeds

A rarity from Turkey but not very easy to grow, this is a challenings sage. It grows into a small subshrub with few stems clothed in hairy leaves and in spring it has 30cm long flowering stems that carry big orange pinkg flowers in whorls. Provide good drainage for longevity.

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Salvia canariensis var.candidissima 4€/20seeds

A much-loved Canarian species, with silver foliage and loads of pink and purple flowers in terminal bunches. It takes drought but it can live with summer water as well.

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Salvia canariensis 'Alba'  4€/20seeds

Similar, yet so different from the above. Deep grean leaves  on thick stems that explode into big inflorescences full of green bracts and white flowers that stay in flower for a long time. One of my favourite shrubs for the summerdry garden, looking good and flowering for almost all year long.

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Salvia candelabrum 4€/20seeds

A medium sized shrubby Mediterranean sage, with elongated entire leaves and long spikes of dark purple flowers with white markings. 

Salvia candidissima 5€/20seeds

A plant suitable for a gravel or rock garden in a colder climate as it doesn’t take well the summer heat of a Mediterranean climate because of its higher elevation origins. It generally resembles a very dwarf silver sage (S.argentea) to which it is related but with a more perennial character and mat forming habit.


Salvia clevelandii ‘Arroyo Azul’ (‘Baja’) 4€/30seeds

Very strongly leaf scented species –probably my most favorite Salvia scent in the world – this small shrub from Baja California where it was originally collected has green leaves and dark purple flowers in whorls along stems that rise above the foliage. Takes my Award of Mediterranean Garden Merit.

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Salvia clevelandii wild form 4€/30seeds

Another form of this species, bigger in all its parts, from a California collection. 

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Salvia coccinea 3€/20seeds

An easy summer growing annual, S.coccinea will reward you with its coral red flowers over many months if it gets regular summer water. It will reseed itself easily in the garden and cover empty spaces between your perennial sages but it is easy to pull out unecessary seedlings.

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Salvia coccinea 'Coral Nymph' 3.50 €/20seeds

Similar to the above, but the colour is a very pleasant pink that looks well in almost every colour combination. 

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Salvia columbariae 4€/20seeds

A winter annual from many parts of the desert and Mediterranean climate southwest USA, this is an easy addition to your gravel area. With its typical whorled inflorescences and purple flowers and bracts, it is the perfect companion for other more colourful small annuals. Sow in situ in autumn. It will reseed itself for the next years.

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Salvia cyanescens 3€/20seeds

Another Turkish favorite, S.cyanescens has rosettes of hairy silver leaves and multibranched spikes of light purple-blue flowers in spring. Very drought tolerant plant.

Self sows easily in a dry or gravel garden, and it is almost always welcome wherever it appears! 

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Salvia darcyi 4€/20seeds

An impressive sage, requiring little care, like occasional water and a winter cut back, but rewarding with its continuously summer to autumn display of big red flowers on upright stem. Give it space as it will run underground in good soil. 


Salvia desoleana 3.50€/20seeds

From Sardinia, and with pungently aromatic leaves, this sage performs best under severe drought. Resembling a giant clary sage (Salvia sclarea) it has stems that will grow and remain upright (and up to 2 meters!) only without irrigation. Heavily flowering from spring through mid-summer, it is loved by bumblebees and bigger Hymenoptera – it is always fun to watch a group of them feeding from flower to flower.

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Salvia dichlamys 4€/20seeds

Of the mexican red Salvias that I grow, this must be the longest flowering one. Spring to autumn, and into winter if you don't get frost, it produces copious amounts of orange red flowers on well branched plants with a natural rounded form. Requires summer watering. 


Salvia disermas, pink variety 3€/30seeds

A South African sage that looks quite different from the rest of its relatives, this is a plant to put in a very sunny xeric position to make it attractive throughout the summer. The spikes of light pink flowers keep coming all summer long. The only negative would be the spent inflorescences that remain brown and dry on the plant, so give it a good shearing once in a while. Give it space as it likes to form big mounds.

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Salvia dominica 4€/20seeds  

A pungent, grey foliaged shrub from Cyprus and the Middle East with hairy leaves and candy white and pink flowers in late winter and early spring. Very drought tolerant once established. Sown in autumn, it will germinate and grow fast. 

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Salvia dorrii  5€/20seeds

A small shrub from the deserts of western US. Heavily branched and covered with small silver leaves that provide the perfect backgroud for the spring azure flowers arranged  in tight whorls on short stems. Give it ruthless heat and cold, just don't give it much water.


Salvia duriifolia x rypara 4€/10seeds

A small shrubby salvia with many wiry stems rising from the base and many jewel like small azure flowers. Nice filler for the front of the salvia border and combines well with bigger flowers.


Salvia eigii 3.5€/20seeds.

A herbaceous perennial species from Israel than in time can develop a woody base. Easy in a watered or dry location. Self-seeds readily.

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Salvia eremostachya 4€/20seeds  SOLD OUT

Another western US native tolerant of extreme drought, this looks more like a small 'Allen Chickering' but with greener leaves and white/blue flowers instead of purple. Great leaf scent.

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Salvia farinacea 'Henry Duelberg'  4€/20seeds

I don't really like the common bedding S.farinaceas that are out in the market but this is way different. It has a more natural habit and looks great in any planting combinations, flowers over a long time and most importantly comes back reliably every year as it is a true perennial.


Salvia fruticosa ‘Alba’ 4€/20seeds

A most popular sage in the Mediterranean for its use as an aromatic herbal tea, this is also a useful plant for a completely xeric garden, as it will not withstand watering during the summer. Or it will and then suddenly die. My selection of this species, with pure white flowers.


Salvia fruticosa blue form 4€/20seeds

I originally collected this form of S.fruticosa in Cyprus, where most plants tend to be blue compared to the typical pink you see in most of Greece. They also have much smaller leaves. It naturally grows into a beautiful rounded shrub. 

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Salvia greggii 'Alba'  4€/20seeds

The pure white form of Salvia greggii. A very tough plant, equally tolerant of dry or more mesic conditions, it will reward you with its hundreds of white flowers almost all year long.

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Salvia heldreichiana 6€/20seeds SOLD OUT

The true S.heldreichii from Turkey, which has nothing to do with what goes around in the commerce under this name.  A small shrub with big blue light blue flowers. Great for a rockery or gravel garden.

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Salvia henryi 4€/20seeds  SOLD OUT

A southern native of the US, this canyon dweller looks more like an Agastache to my eyes instead of a Salvia. Red flowers, loved by hummingbirds appear in spring and summer when water is available. 


Salvia hierosolymitana 4€/20seeds

Similar to S.eigiii, but the loyal Salvia grower will grow both of them to see the differences. Similar growing conditions apply.


Salvia indica 3€/20seeds

A stunning Salvia, behaving as  a biennial or a perennial if the conditions are right. Basal hairy leaves and 1m tall branched spikes with beautiful markings. Wouldn't live without this sage as the excitement of the new hairy flower stems pushing upwards from the foliage is one of my great joys in the summerdry garden.


Salvia interrupta 3.50€/20seeds

This is probably my most favorite drought tolerant shrubby sage. Very full clumps of lime green leaves that get bigger and flatter in time and can cover a whole square meter from which rise spikes of big fat sky blue flowers in spring. Wouldn’t garden without it!


Salvia jurisicii 3€/20seeds

A very different looking salvia from Bulgaria, with leaves that are finely dissected and spikes of hairy flowers during late spring. Very long lived once established and increasing in size steadily. Suits a rock garden and gravel garden equally.


Salvia kopetdaghensis 3€/20seeds

A herbaceous perennial with large basal leaves and upright stems of nemorosa type flower spikes of light purple. This will benefit from some summer water and will reward you with recurring flushes of flowers in the summer.

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Salvia lavandulifolia subsp.vellerea 4€/20seeds

Quite different from all other S.lavandulifolia subspecies, this has wide silver leaves and short stems of light purple flowers. It requires drought and good drainage in summer otherwise it tends to be short lived.

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Salvia mellifera 3.5€/30seeds

If there is one scent that I have combined with California during my student years there, it is that of Salvia mellifera, the Black Sage.  Whether you pass by it, accidentally step on it, or just drive by it in a warm summer day, that scent is  pure bliss.  Apart from the aromatic foliage, it is a tough and beautiful shrub that will all the drought you can give to it during summer without complains. Smoke treatment aids germination. 


Salvia mexicana 'Limelight’ 3.50€/20seeds  SOLD OUT

As the name suggests, a Mexican species that forms big multibranched shrubs within one growing season that in autumn are topped with big fat spikes of purple/blue flowers with very contrasting lime green calyces. I prefer to keep it 2/3 years and then take cuttings again as it tends to get woody in time. I also pinch it several times during the growing season in order to make very branched shorter shrubs and thus achieve the maximum amount of flower spikes. Sow in autumn. Stratification and smoke treatment may trigger germination in this species which has a natural poor rate germination.


Salvia microphylla 'Red Velvet' 3€/20 seeds

A classic microphylla selection with blood red flowers with black calyces (hot weather will change the calyces to green). Fast growing and always in flower.

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Salvia microphylla x darcyi ‘Penny’s Smile’ 3.50€/20seeds

Imagine a pink microphylla on steroids, this is a fast-growing big leaved selection with extra large magenta pink flowers. An amazing plant and richly flowering all year long.


Salvia multicaulis 5€/10seeds  SOLD OUT

A ground hugging shrub with upright stems of purple flower, but 
the expanding burdundy bracts that follow flowering is what makes is most spectacular. Needs a dry location in the gravel or rock garden.

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Salvia munzii 4€/30seeds

Another Californian sage, this oneis from northern Baja and a pleasantly scented leaf shrub with purple flowers in spikes in spring. Smoke treatment aids germination. 


Salvia napifolia 3€/20seeds

An eastern Mediterranean species, with much rounder leaves than S.verticillata and light purple whorled spikes in spring. I find it blends well with so many other plants and it is a great gap filler, selfseeding pleasantly in the garden. Very drought tolerant but will repeat flower if watered in the summer.


Salvia palaestina 4.50€/20seeds

An interesting perennial species from the Middle East, with basal serrated leaves and 1m branched spikes of S.sclarea looking flowers. 


Salvia pinnata 5€/20seeds SOLD OUT

An exquisite subshrubby sage from Turkey, with deep green hairy leaves and big fat pink flowers very early in the season on contrasting burgundy calyces. In my warm Mediterranean garden, the flowering season starts as early as February and lasts a couple of months.


Salvia pomifera subsp. calycina 3€/20seeds

One of the most pleasantly aromatic of the Mediterranean shrubby sages, this is also used as a tea (don’t overboil the dry leaves as your tea might turn sour) around the eastern Mediterranean. Otherwise just leave the big grey leaves on the plant to enjoy. Forget about watering it in the summer, as that can kill it in days, or make the plant generally shorted lived. Very useful as it does great in dry shady situations in problematic spots such as under pine trees!


Salvia pomifera subsp. pomifera 3€/20seeds

Similar to the above but the colours on the flowers of this subspecies are even more intense. It also forms a bushy plant, with more natural branching.


Salvia pomifera subsp. pomifera ‘Alba’ 6€/20seeds.

My selection of the species with lime green calyces and big pure white flowers. One look and you’ll fall in love with it.


Salvia pratensis ssp. haematodes 3€/20seeds

Much different than any other S.pratensis you’ve grown, this Cretan subspecies has big basal leaves that lay flat on the ground and give rise to over 1m tall branched candelabra spikes of relatively big sky blue flowers with white details. It disappears between other plants when flowering is finished.


Salvia pratensis ‘White Swan’ 3€/20seeds.

I grow this in the dry garden and it manages to survive and flower well, but I admit that some summer watering will make it look better and flower for a longer period of time.


Salvia radula 3€/30seeds

This South African species looks best when grown in full sun and periodically irrigated in the summer, although otherwise it is very drought tolerant. Full sun will ensure upright stems that won’t flop and showcase the white flower spikes in maximum.


Salvia recognita 4.50€/20seeds

Another Turkish Salvia, that you will love if you’re not already in love with it. Sub shrubby species, with foliage that creates a mat on the ground and from which tall 1m spikes with baby pink flowers rise. A stunner and the most successfull item in my Salvia list!


Salvia reptans upright form 4€/20seeds

A favorite summer flowering salvia with multiple upright stems clothed in small leaves and hundreds of small dark blue flowers that give it an airy appearance. Cut back hard in winter. It will do fine with weekly watering once established.


Salvia ringens 4€/20seeds

I simply wouldn’t live without this Greece and Balkan endemic species that takes heat and cold as no other. Ferny low foliage and 1m high spikes of big fat blue flowers.


Salvia rypara 4€/20seeds

I collected this species in Salta, Argentina where it was very common and looking rather leggy, but it has behaved great in my watered garden. Months of flowering with light blue flowers.

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Salvia scabra 3€/20seeds

A small South African species with low foliage and dozens of stems carrying long purple flowers for months on end. Drought tolerant but will take regular summer water as well.


Salvia sclarea var. sclarea 3€/30seeds

There are quite a few clary sage selections out there, but I especially love this classic Greek native pure subspecies. It stays short, it is reliably perennial and it has a very upright habit. Humble, but more natural compared to the next two.


Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica 3€/30seeds

Definitely flashier than the above with taller stems, bigger leaves and huge flowerheads that unfurl as they form. 


Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica 'Alba’ 3€/30seeds

As above but with pure white flowers and bracts.


Salvia spathacea 4.00€/10seeds

Very distinctive Californian sage, perfect for a semi shady situation. Actually of the few drought tolerant sages that prefer shade over sun. This selection has coral red flowers. 


Salvia spinosa 4€/20seeds

A curiosity but still quite beautiful! A Turkish biennial species with basal leaves and a big rounded branched inflorescence of white flowers on lime green calyces. 


Salvia taraxacifolia 4€/20seeds

An amazing small sage from the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, this forms beautiful rosettes of grey spiny leaves from which rise short spikes of light pink flowers. It can take drought and will reflower when it receives water.


Salvia tingitana 3.50€/20seeds

A very tough plant, Salvia tingitana has big clary sage like leaves on upright stems that explode into beautiful big inflorescences of white flowers that can literally cover the plant in spring and early summer. You can easily cut it back low when it grows too big and it will regrow from the base.


Salvia tomentosa 4€/20seeds

A species from Turkey and Greece resembling the S.officinalis but forming more rounded shrubs with round leaves and flowers in a range from white to purple. Drought tolerant but I prefer to put it in a place where it gets some shade in the afternoon to ensure longevity. It does the same in nature as it usually found in forest edges and openings.


Salvia verbenaca 3€/20seeds

Quite a weedy species, but it looks very natural if left to do its thing in the more ‘wild’ part of the garden.


Salvia verticillata 3€/30seeds

My collection of the wild form of the whorled sage in the Peloponnese which is much different than the popular cultivars like ‘Purple Rain’. Basal leaves that form a nice clump and very upright spikes of light purple flowers. Much more drought tolerant as well so suited for a xeric border.


Salvia virgata, bicolor form 4€/20seeds

There’s quite a few S.virgata selections out there (and a dozen other that go around the trade as different Salvia species) but this is the true thing and I’ve selected two particularly ornamental varieties that generally come true from seed (if they won’t cross with something else). In this one, the foliage stays low and flat on the ground and the branched spikes have big blue and white bicolor flowers. It gets better with years.


Salvia virgata, dark purple form 4€/20seeds

Another of my S.virgata selections, again with low foliage and firework like spikes of dark blue flowers. Both varieties will take extreme drought in the summer.


Salvia virgata, white form 4€/20seeds

This year I have collected seed from yet another virgata in my dry garden, this time with pure white flowers. Typical low flat foliage as the rest of my selections. Some of your plants will not be white, as they cross with each other easily, but that’s part of the fun.


Salvia viscosa 3€/30seeds

A great gap filler in the garden as the basal rosette of leaves doesn’t take much space but it explodes in a multitude of branched stems with hundreds of small burgundy flowers. Cut back after flowering and it disappears till next year. Self sows readily.


Salvia x jamensis.

Here´s a selection of seed taken from x jamensis cultivars. They won´t 
necessarily come all true from seed, but you´ll definitely get some interesting colors as they like to hybridize with each other and I grow a lot of different ones in the garden together.

Salvia x jamensis  Star Berry  4€/20seeds  my own selection of a profuse flowering big cranberry coloured shrub, one of my favorite varieties in this group.

Salvia x jamensis ‘Clotted Cream’  4€/20seeds 

Salvia x jamensis  'Golden Girl' 4€/20seeds  

Salvia x jamensis ‘Heatwave Blaze’  4€/20seeds 

Salvia x jamensis 'Heatwave Glimmer'  4€/20seeds 

Salvia x jamensis ‘Shell Dancer’  4€/20seeds 

Salvia x jamensis ‘Ultra Violet’  4€/20seeds 

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Salvia x westerae ´Petra´ 3.50€/10seeds

I am excited about this big shrubby hybrid Salvia. With leaves like a S.leucantha when young that develops into a big bush by fall when it is covered with lipstick red flowers. In a cooler summer climate, it will flower for a longer time.


Salvia sp. Robin’s Blue 3€/30seeds

Originally given to me by the late Robin Middleton from the UK (admittedly one of the greatest and most passionate Salvia growers I have met). It looks like a cross between pratensis and transylvanica but it is a true species that I have forgotten the name of. Easily grown and beautiful in my watered garden, albeit a big short lived but grows 
readily from seeds and cuttings.

 

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