June 2012 Salvia leucantha

 Salvia leucantha – Mexican Sage

Mexican sage is providing some wonderful colour in Melbourne gardens this June.  Its sagey green leaves contrast well with the vibrant, woolly flower stems that appear right through autumn into  winter.

Salvia leucantha is a shrubby perennial from Central America that grows to about 1m high and wide. It grows easily in a sunny position and provides a good addition to a Mediterranean style garden. Like most plants with grey – green foliage, it is tolerant of heat and drought and works well  with plants that have a more structural form.

After it has finished flowering, it might start to get a bit scrappy, so around August it is worth chopping it right back to the ground where it with respond with nice fresh new growth in spring.