Salvia elegans Purple Form

Salvia elegans Purple Form

Salvia elegans Purple Form, a winter- and spring-flowering shrubby plant with long spires of dainty cerise flowers, is quite different from the pineapple sage that shares its botanical name. It is much taller and not invasive like its cousin. Its green foliage acquires a purplish tinge if it is grown in full sun. It grows up to 2 to 3 m tall, and it needs other plants around it for support. To produce a more compact plant, cut it back almost to the ground in midsummer. It is attractive with the silver leaves of Plectranthus argentatus or the mauve-pink trumpets of the shrubby Chinese rain bell (Strobilanthes cusia), which is in bloom at the same time.

Salvia rubiginosa (left) with Salvia elegans Purple Form (right)

Salvia rubiginosa (left) with Salvia elegans Purple Form (right)

It also looks good with winter-blooming, blue-flowered Salvia rubiginosa. The dark leaves and lilac flowers of goldfussia (Strobilanthes anisophylla), also in bloom at the same time, look attractive nearby. Sweet garlic (Tulbaghia simmleri) a cousin of society garlic, has large starry lilac flowers in winter and is a pretty under-planting for this salvia.