Salvia Unplugged ‘Red’

Description

Salvia ‘Unplugged Red’ is a hardy, upright shrub with deep green foliage which contrasts beautifully with the calyxes of the tall flower spikes and rich red petals. In warmer climates, ‘Unplugged Red’ can be treated as perennial that will only slow its flowering in the coldest few weeks of the year. In colder climates with frosts, it is a favourite annual. This continuous blooming Salvia is sterile, which means more flowers for you. It is a big attractor of pollinators who love its sweet nectar. 

Uses

A true thriller, the compact, tidy habit and ease of care make ‘Unplugged Red’ a brilliant feature 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 spring and summer time combination planting in containers.  

Flower spikes and foliage of ‘Unplugged Red’ also make lovely fresh-cut floral arrangements. 

Care

Salvia Unplugged 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. Unlike most Salvia which are light feeders, Salvia Unplugged benefits from regular applications of fertiliser because of its long and sometimes continuous flowering season, particularly in warmer regions. Water regularly until settled in.

Salvia Unplugged 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 centimeters 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 ‘Unplugged Pink’ 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.