Salvia africana-lutea Zn8b (15º to 20ºF) Lamiaceae
A tender Salvia from South Africa that forms a shrub. In our area it will grow to 3' tall and as wide in a single season. Amazing rust-orange/brown flowers appear in Spring and again in Fall and are great with the pewter colored leaves. This plant has been incredibly successful in some gardens but has frozen out in other gardens that had the same temeperature. A warm position with well drained soil in full sun is best. Mulch in Fall.
Salvia barrelieri Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Lamiaceae
Big 'ol perennial Salvia from S.W. Spain with a tongue twister of a name! Say it once, quickly....heh. Full sun and well drained fertile soil with occasional deep soaks. Large silvery and furry leaves form a rosette from which rises a 5' spike of blue flowers each with a lower white lip. Great in the back of a border or in big funky flower arrangements. Blooms June to August. Barrel-eeee-ear- EYE?
Salvia buchananii Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Lamiaceae
Famous for having been found in a courtyard garden in Mexico City but not known to occur in the wild is this ravishing Salvia. Shiny dapper foliage which is a great foil for the large furry Magenta flowers that appear throughout summer. Full sun with with regular water and rich, well drained soil. Mulch in the fall. Very good
as a container plant. To 30" tall and only 1' wide.
Salvia cacaliifolia Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Lamiaceae
A late summer and fall-blooming salvia that is noted for its tolerance of shade, an attribute uncommon in this genus. Matte green triangular leaves provide a lush look, while long wands bearing small intense blue flowers provide interest late in the season. Exact hardiness is uncertain, but we have seen it in local gardens several years running. Excellent in containers. Sun to shade, regular water
Salvia chamaedryoides Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Lamiaceae
A cold hardy and very tough Salvia that is ideal for hot, sunny, dry locations. Forms a lovely gray shrub to 20" tall and as wide and in early summer though fall provides a long display of spectacular blue flowers. Full sun and well drained soil. Great container plant. Does well when neglected a bit in summer. Cut back dead foliage after new growth has begun in spring. Occasional summer water. A long term survivor in the PNW.
Salvia x ‘Christine Yeo’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Lamiaceae
An exciting cross of two North American Salvias as an accident in an English nursery. S. chamaedryoides x S. microphylla have produced a large growing shrubby Salvia with small leaves and brilliant deep purple/blue flowers. Begins blooming in July and continues until frost. Full sun, ammended, well drained soil. Large and airy to 2' tall and as wide. Perfect w/ grasses. Cut back in SPRING- after new growth has started. Wild looking plant.
Salvia greggii ‘Chiffon’ Zn8b (15º to 20ºF) Lamiaceae
One of the best Salvia greggii varieties for flower color, ‘Chiffon’ is the only one that
boasts lovely light yellow flowers. Shrubby to 20” tall and as wide, the yellow flowers appear in mid summer and continue with increasing profusion into autumn. Full sun and well drained soil. Mulch in winter. Do not cut back until afteer new growth has begun in the spring. Great container plant.
Salvia x jamensis ‘Sierra San Antonio’ Zn8b (15º to 20ºF) Lamiaceae
A beautiful and very long blooming Salvia that begins to produce salmon and pale yellow flowers in early June and continues until frost. Full sun, rather dry and
VERY well drained soil- which will improve the winter hardiness. To 18" tall and as wide in a single year. Wait until new growth begins in early spring to prune out
dead growth. Very easy to grow with Agastaches, Perovskia.
Salvia microphylla ‘La Trinidad Pink’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Lamiaceae
Profuse clear pink flowers and extremely good hardiness to cold make this one of the best shrubby Salvias for the Pacific Northwest. To 2’ tall and 2’ wide over time. Full sun and well drained soil. Must not be boggy in winter. Wait until new growth emerges in spring, then remove dead wood. Regular water during summer heat to speed growth and blooming.
Salvia muelleri Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Lamiaceae
A shrubby Salvia with some of the darkest purple/blue flowers in the genus. To
20" tall and forming a clump it combines wonderfully in full sun and rich but well drained soil with such plants Agastache 'Apricot Sprite'. Extremely tolerant of drought when established. Blooms June to frost and is a magnet for hummingbirds and butterflies. Leave the stems in Fall to improve winter hardiness,cut back in spring when new growth has begun.
Salvia nemerosa ‘Cardonna’ Zn4b (-25º to -20ºF) Lamiaceae
Incredible new hardy Salvia from Europe with beautiful silver sheened leaves held on deep purple stems and in Summer (for a looong time) spikes of rich blue flowers. Excellent perennial for rich soil with regular summer water in full sun to light shade. Flower spikes to 30" tall on a spreading plant to 2' wide. Remove spent blossoms to encourage more. Excellent cutflower. Striking with yellow flowered Kniphofia 'Candlelight'. Long lived.
Salvia ‘Nuevo Leon’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Lamiaceae
A Xera favorite, 'Nuevo Leon' is an autumn sage with masses intense blue-purple flowers over a long season. Semi-shrubby to 2' tall and as wide. Flowers appear from early summer to late fall. Full sun in rich, well drained soil- regular summer water. One of the most COLD HARDY and best adapted SW Salvias for the PNW. Wait to cut back until new growth begins in the spring. Remove spent flower spikes to encourage more.
Salvia patens ‘Guanajuato’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Lamiaceae
A larger and even more spectacular form of Salvia patens. 'Guanajuato' offers deep blue, brilliant flowers nearly 2" long on tall spikes. Each large arrow shaped leaf is marked in the center with a dark blotch. Dramatic, festive, makes summer containers and borders even better. Overwinters best in rich soil on well drained hillsides in the ground or lift and store as for Dahlias. Seems to be one of the cold hardiest S. patens. Vigor?
Salvia patens ‘Cambridge Blue’ Zn8b (15º to 20ºF) Lamiaceae
Lovely, luscious, legendary light blue. 'Cambridge Blue' is perhaps the best light blue of any Salvia. Flowers non-stop from June until frost, for very well drained soil
with regular water and fertilizer in full sun to light shade. Hardiness improves remarkably in well drained soil. Returns late in spring..usually May. Remove spent flower scapes to encourage more. Amazing container plant, good with other pastel tones.
Salvia patens ‘Lavender Lady’ Zn8b (15º to 20ºF) Lamiaceae
A form of Salvia patens with large, soothing lavender flowers that appear from late June until frost. Full sun to very light shade with rich well drained soil and occasional deep irrigation. Excellent with Agastache or in containers with the large furry gray leaves of Plectranthus argentatus. Well drained soil improves cold hardiness remarkably in the ground. Remove spent flower scapes to encourage more. Deeply beautiful.
Salvia x ‘Playa Rosa’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Lamiaceae
Our selection of a seedling of Autumn Sage and who?- with large lavender/pink flowers on a bushy, semi-woody perennial. Profuse bloomer- beginning in midsummer and continuing until frost. Full sun and rich, well drained soil, with occasional deep irrigation in summer to speed growth. To 20" tall and as wide. Leave old stems through winter to improve cold hardiness, cut back to new growth in spring. Hummingbird food.
Salvia roemeriana Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Lamiaceae
Orange Texas sage has become one of our favorites. In late summer this semi-shrubby perennial boast copious amounts of tubular bright orange flowers. The show continues until frost. For well drained soil in full sun with regular irrigation during summer. A great dry-border mixer. Hummingbirds compete at our nursery for this plant.
Salvia ‘Silke’s Dream’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Lamiaceae
New hybrid Salvia with a profuse display of flowers in soft melon red with hints of orange. Shrubby- to 2' tall and as wide. Flowers appear in mid-July and continue into autumn. Light textured but showy perennial. Well drained, rich soil with occasional deep soaks in summer. Full, hot sun. To increase hardiness to cold leave top growth over winter and prune back (in spring) AFTER new growth has begun. Excellent hummingbird plant.
Sanguisorba officionalis ‘Tanna’ Zn4a (-30º to -25ºF) Rosaceae
Burnets are one of the best perennials for people who garden on heavy clay soil. They boast attractive pinnate foliage and subtle but profuse flowers in late spring through summer. This variety has handsome blue/green foliage and in June-August multiple 2’ spires wiry spires are topped with spherical deep maroon flowers. Tough perennial requiring only sun and water. To 2’ wide.
Saxafraga x geum Zn5a (-20º to -15ºF) Saxafragaceae
Remarkable spoon shaped leaves with sculptural uniform serrated edges make this inter-generic hybrid one of the most striking evergreen perennials for the woodland garden. Forming colonies over time in rich, humusy soil with that stays moist - in mid spring it produces airy white flowers to 18" tall. A cool location, grows just like Saxafaga umbrosa 'London Pride'. This is the hardcore Saxafraga from the West End. Very cool along paths.
Saxafraga stolonifera ‘Cuscutiformis’ Zn6a (-10º to -5ºF) Saxafragaceae
A colony of this form of the hardy Strawberry Begonia nestled under large shrubs or even as a small scale groundcover is stunning. Rounded leaves are heavily veined in delicate silver over sage green leaves, the undersides are maroon. Part shade in moist soil with regular summer water. White, airy flowers in late spring.
Forms runners which may be detached and moved around. Great in containers in shady conditions.
Saxafraga stolonifera ‘Eco-Butterfly’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Saxafragaceae
Gold and chartreuse with a central area of dark green and red underside to the leaf all combine to make this a great woodland plant. Forms colonies by runners. Leafy soil with occasional summer water is best. Brightens up a shady spot and combines very nicely with Primulas, Hosta and Japanese Forest Grass. Disappears somewhat in the winter. Very easy to grow. Good under evergreen shrubs.
Saxafraga stolonifera ‘Harvest Moon’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Saxafragaceae
A hardy "Strawberry Begonia" with scalloped leaves that are shaded with gold and orange. The stems and undersides of the leaves are red. Forms patches in shady woodlands by runners. Great under shrubs on in a border with richly colored Heucheras and Hostas. Porous, enriched soil with occasional water in summer. Very easy to grow. Makes a nice container plant. Runners will spill over the sides.
Saxafraga stolonifera ‘Maroon Beauty’ Zn6a (-10º to -5ºF) Saxafragaceae
A very bold colonizing woodland Strawberry Saxafrage with scalloped leaves that
have an underside of maroon and a leaf top with intricate silver markings. In late
April and May 18" spikes of white- flushed pink flowers on a delicate scape. Part shade to shade, enriched leafy soil. Spreads by runners. Cool under blue leaved Hostas and richly colored Heucheras. Good in containers in part shade.
Saxafraga stolonifera ‘Tricolor’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Saxafragaceae
A variegated form of the Strawberry Geranium saxifrage that forms deciduous colonies in dappled shade. Rich well drained soil with regular water. In late
summer 2' tall spikes of white flowers rise above the rosettes. Great as a brightening element beneath rhododendrons or along Hostas and Heucheras. Good container plant that will eventually spill runners over the edges. Shrinks in winter.
Schizostylus coccineus ‘Oregon Sunset’ Zn6b (-5º to 0ºF) Iridaceae
The very best selection of the South African Flag chosen and released by Gossler Farms in Springfield, OR. Large, 1" wide watermelon red flowers appear on multiple 20" scapes from late August well into Autumn, peaking in Sept.-Oct.. Full sun and rich soil, forms colonies several feet across. Great late season cut flower. Easy to grow long blooming perennial for this climate. Occasional summer water. The best variety.
Scutellaria pontica Zn6b (-10º to -5ºF) Lamiaceae
A long blooming perennial Scullcap with spikes of furry lavender-rose flowers from June until Fall. Soft looking plant with scalloped leaves forms a clump to 6" tall and up to a foot wide. Full sun and well drained soil. Great rock garden plant and an especially good companion for lavender and gray leaved Sea Hollies (Eryngium). Occasional summer water. Carefree when established. Remove spent flowers to encourage more. Turkey.
Scutellaria suffrutescens Zn6a (-10º to -5ºF) Lamiaceae
Cherry Scullcap is a drought adapted subshrub native to Texas. Profuse cherry-pink shell-shaped flowers over an extremely long time mid June until frost. To only 8" tall and forming a dense bun to 1' wide for full sun to light shade and well drained soil. Little summer water. Beautiful hillside or rockgarden companion with pale yellow flowered Erodiums and Agastaches. Easy to grow long performing plant. Cut back lightly in mid-spring. Tough.
Scutellaria ‘Violet Cloud’ Zn6a (-10º to -5ºF) Lamiaceae
Beautiful long blooming small evergreen perennial, well adapted to hot dry locations. Lavender violet flowers appear in early June and continue in profusion through September. Forms a small bun to 6" tall and about the size of an apple pie. Well drained soil or on a slope in full hot sun. Regular water through the first summer. Combines wonderfully with Agastache 'Apricot Sprite'. Cut back in spring AFTER new growth has begun. Sterile.
Selaginella moelendorfii Zn6a (-10º to -5ºF) Lamiaceae
Beautiful and tough spikemoss with the stature of a small fern, suited to deep shade and difficult conditions. To 8" tall and forming a clump about 1 foot wide with bright green fine leaves that have hints of russet in cold weather. Best in part shade to shade with regular summer water, though established plants fare well on their own. Works well where other plants have failed. Evergreen. Combine with other plants of the same size or smaller.
Semiaquilegia simulatrix ‘Early Dwarf’ Zn4a (-30º to -25ºF) Lamiaceae
A delicate woodland beauty with fine blue/green foliage and nodding raspberry/rose flowers. To only 16" tall this close relative of Columbine blooms in mid-April to mid-May. Unlike Columbine, the flowers have no reflexed spurs. Part shade to shade in rich woodland soil. Occasional summer water. May retreat to dormancy in summer. Easy and lovely. Perennial that is longer lived than Columbines. Reseeds lightly.
Senecio viravira Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Asteraceae
A great and surprisingly hardy "Dusty Miller" with finely divided leaves that become nearly silver white during the summer. To 2' tall and forming a patch in rich ammended soil with occasional summer water. Established plants are more tolerant of drought. Semi-deciduous in winter, able to freeze to the ground and resprout after cold winters. Cut back hard in early spring regardless. Brittle, plant back a bit from paths. Full sun to light shade.
Sideritis cypria Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Lamiaceae
A familiar looking plant that is not often grown in the PNW. Sideritis is also known as "Shrubby Hare's Ear" and is closely related to both Phlomis and Stachys (Lamb's Ears). Extremely silvery, furry leaves on a perennial that forms woody stems and in mid to late summer tall spikes with whorls of chartreuse/yellow flowers. Full sun and very well drained soil. Water until you see new growth then STOP- needs no more irrigation ever. To 3' X3'.
Silene alpestris Zn4a (-30º to -25ºF) Caryophyllaceae
Easy to grow, tough plant with scores of delicate crisp white double flowers on wiry stems. Evergreen mat forming perennial with deep green leaves to 1' wide and from late May to frost a continuation of 8" branched stems topped with pure white flowers. Great small scale groundcover with the effect of a small Baby's Breath. Full sun to light shade. Rich to average soil with occasional summer water. Remove spent flowers, more will follow.
Sisyrinchium ‘E.K. Balls’ Zn6a (-10º to -5ºF) Iridaceae
A profusion of glossy purple flowers on a compact plant makes this blue eyed grass one of the enduring favorites over the last century. Fan shaped green leaves to only 6" tall with many, many small flowers from May to frost. Sometimes takes a rest and then resumes blooming. Full sun in well drained moist soil is idea, though adapts to less than ideal conditions. Excellent along paths or at the front of a border.
Sisyrinchium ‘Quaint and Queer’ Zn6b (-5º to 0ºF) Iridaceae
A favorite queer Iris relative for the garden with lovely purple/cream flowers and incredibly tasteful blue green leaves. The flowers appear daily from late April to early June. Rich soil with occasional deep opulent soaks in the heat of summer. To 18" tall and forming a well mannered clump. Excellently adapted to life on the west coast. Semi-deciduous in winter.
Sisyrinchium ‘Rocky Point’ Zn5b (-15º to -10ºF) Iridaceae
One of the most striking and floriferous of this easy to grow group of Iris relatives.
Forms a thick semi-evergreen clump to 6" tall and about a 1' wide. From May to frost continuous 1" wide deep satin purple flowers appear with a bright yellow center. Full sun to part shade in well drained good soil. Hardworking, easy native perennial. Drought dormant if neglected. Returns with rains. Great edging plant. Sets little or no seed.
Solierolia soleirolii ‘Aurea’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Urticaceae
A great common plant with an unpronouncable latin name, just call them 'Golden Baby's Tears'. Exellent in seasonal containers or in sheltered places in the ground where it is shaded, cool and moist. Plants regenerate from the roots if frozen. Spreads to form a patch 18" wide in a single season. Good under rhododendrons, fun in containers. Terariums with plastic hippos.
Spigelia marilandica Zn5a (-20º to -15ºF) Caryophyllaceae
A highly underused perennial native to the eastern half of the United States. Indian Pink grows along streams in woodlands from Michigan south to the Gulf. To 20" tall and forming a clump, vermillion red tubular flowers are held straight up and open to light yellow. Blooms mid-June to mid-July Part shade to full sun with regular water in RICH soil. Comes up late in the spring. Hummingbird Love Festival.
Stachys albotomentosa ‘Xera Peach’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Lamiaceae
Our furry, fragrant and free-blooming selection of this dry loving perennial. Gray leaves with plenty of white (fur) are a loving setting for the spires of peach colored flowers with an interior of yellow. Excellent in obnoxiously hot places with great drainage and only a little bit of water in summer. None after it is established. Leaves have a familiar fragrance, like....a lemon-lime cola.....guess which one?
Stachys coccinea ‘Coral’ Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Lamiaceae
A GREAT plant and probably the most adaptable of the flowering Stachys for our climate. Clump forming perennial to 20' tall with spires of profuse rich coral flowers from late May to frost. Remove spent flowers to encourage more. Full sun to light shade with regular summer water. Well drained soil. Cut back hard in early spring to refresh and revitalize for a whole new season. Hummingbird magnet.
Salvia africana-lutea
Salvia ‘Playa Rosa’
Scutellaria pontica
Spigelia marlandica
Perennials return year after year and are the organic heart of the garden. They represent the most intelligent type of landscaping. So many are available today that we focus on the best and most unusual.
