Salvia pratensis
| Salvia pratensis | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 3 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 3' |
| Width: | 2' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Late Summer |
| Meadows | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Salvia pratensis (common name: meadow clary)
Propagation: Seed - sow March/April in a greenhouse[1]. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. In areas where the plant is towards the limits of its hardiness, it is best to grow the plants on in a greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in late spring of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood succeed at almost any time in the growing season[1].
Cultivation: An easily grown plant, it succeeds in a very well-drained light sandy soil in a sunny position[1]. Prefers a rich soil[2]. Requires a good well-drained soil[3].
Hardy to about -25°c[3]. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet[1].
Well suited to the wild garden, growing well in the summer meadow[1]. Plants have stout stems and require little if any staking[1].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[4].
There are many named forms selected for their ornamental value[1].
Range: Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, Serbia, the Crimea, Bulgaria.
Habitat: A rare native in Britain, growing in old grasslands over chalk and limestone[1].
Edibility: The pungent, bitter flavoured herb has been used as a flavouring in beers and wines[5]. It is also used as an adulterant of sage[6][5].
Pollinators: Insects
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Phillips, Roger and Martyn Rix. Perennials - The Definitve Reference. Pan Books, 1991.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.