Vivid purple petals held in black calyxes are borne on tall, dark-stemmed flower spikes above green foliage.
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Salvia Rockin' 'Deep Purple' is a hardy, upright shrub with green foliage which contrasts beautifully with the black stems and calyxes of the tall flower spikes and vivid purple petals. In warmer climates, 'Deep Purple' can be treated as perennial that will only slow its flowering in the coldest few weeks of the year. In colder climates with frosts, 'Deep Purple' is a favourite annual. This continuous blooming Salvia is sterile, which means more flowers for you.
The tidy habit and sturdy, tall flower spires of Salvia Rockin' 'Deep Purple' are at home in a range of gardens, from a free-ranging cottage style to more formally organised landscapes. Use it in sunny or shaded gardens as a border plant or in a landscape spread singularly, in drifts of colour, or mass planted. When in bloom, the flower spikes make a perfect background or centrepiece in larger springtime combination planting in containers.
Flower spikes and foliage of 'Deep Purple' also make lovely fresh-cut floral arrangements.
Salvia Rockin' are suitable for positions with full sun to part shade and well-drained soil in a wide range of climates, keeping in mind that it is an annual in colder regions. Prepare the garden bed by loosening the soil to improve drainage and add slow-release fertiliser or compost. Most Salvias are light feeders, and over-fertilising can in fact cause plant stress, which causes them to become leggy and flop. In warmer regions with longer blooming periods, 'Deep Purple' may need an additional feed in mid-Summer to last through Winter. Water regularly until settled in.
Salvia Rockin' are drought tolerant once established but perform best with consistent low levels of moisture. Water more frequently during prolonged periods of no rain. A good measure is to water when the top five centimetres of soil becomes dry.
Remove spent flower spikes as needed at the stem's base, near to the auxiliary flower stem below. In frost-free climates Salvia Rockin' 'Deep Purple' will survive the Winter, and a pruning will be beneficial in early Spring when new growth emerges to form shape and encourage branching.
In containers, use a premium all-purpose potting mix and ensure that drainage holes function well, and remember that plants in pots need more regularly watering than those in the ground.
Wear gloves & wash hands after gardening.
