Salvia greggii ‘Wild Thing” was a new addition to my perennial border this fall. Sorry that the photos are kind of fuzzy, for some reason this plant is hard to photograph or the light conditions weren’t right. In fact, it was one of my birthday purchases with the Lowe’s card my Mom gave me. Salvias are wonderful for their fragrant foliage and colorful blooms. This year I added three new selections which includes ‘Black & Blue’, ‘Mystic Spires’, and ‘Wild Thing’. Another benefit of Salvias in the garden is they are a Butterfly and Hummingbird magnet. Some of its’ companions in the front border are ‘White Swan’ Coneflowers, Liatris, Rubeckia and Alliums. So imagine my surprise when I went out a couple of days ago and found it was staring to bud up. I wasn’t expecting any blooms until next year. This lovely new cultivar was collected as a wild specimen from the native habitat in west Texas several years ago. Now it has become a much appreciated plant for the vigorous fast growth habit and the ability to survive cold & wet winters. Here is some more useful growing information: (click on any of the photos to enlarge it for better viewing)
- Reddish Pink blooms
- Blooms in Late Spring (and obviously in the fall here)
- Full sun – Part sun conditions
- 24-30″ x 3′ width
- Average or Sandy garden soil
- Attracts hummingbirds
- Rabbit resistant
- Xeric conditions (which is perfect for my dry border)
- Looks great with silver foliage plants
- Hardy in zones 6-10 (maybe 5 with some winter protection)
