Salvia viridis Seeds | Painted Sage
LATIN NAME: Salvia viridis
COMMON NAME: Painted Sage
Plant Profile
A distinctive member of its genus, Painted Sage (Salvia viridis) is an annual in the mint family, native to parts of Europe. Painted sage holds its showy, pink and green bracts above small, hooded flowers, and the whole plant stands in the neat, upright clumps. Not many plants ask so little and repay so much.
Science & Biotechnology
Research touching on Salvia viridis ranges from the botany of the mint family to practical horticulture, including seed handling, propagation and the selection of superior forms. Nothing exotic is required: standard seed-sowing practice, done carefully, is enough.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Painted Sage has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. Painted sage is a fine, bright plant of border and cut-flower patch. It is a fine, bright plant of open, sunny, deep, well-drained garden. Give young plants deep, well-drained bed, and coloured bracts will rise in the first summer. Given the right start, it carries on with minimal intervention.
Painted sage is grown for its vivid violet bracts in borders and dried arrangements; the seeds yield a mucilage used in traditional eye washes in its Mediterranean homeland.
Growing from Seed
Seed is the natural starting point for Painted Sage, and the process is uncomplicated. Sow on the surface of a gritty, well-drained mix, cover lightly with fine compost, and maintain gentle, even moisture in a sunny position. Once the seedlings have made true leaves, pot them on individually and plant out when they are sturdy and conditions are right.
Our Take
Painted Sage earns its space through character rather than fuss. Established seedlings need little beyond ordinary attention.
Related Reading
Gardeners who grow Painted Sage often pair it with these related subjects: