1 1

    Salvia guaranitica 'Omaha'

    Variegated Sage

    This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.

    Shop Available Salvia
    Write a review
    | Ask a Question

    Item #: 2390

    Zones: 8a to 10b

    Dormancy: Winter

    Height: 48" tall

    Culture: Sun to Part Sun

    Origin: Costa Rica

    Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)


    This unique salvia is a variegated leaf version of the Costa Rican form of Salvia guaranitica. Each fuzzy dark green heart shaped leaf is surrounded by a wide chartreuse green border. In areas with cool night temperatures, the contrast in the leaves is absolutely stunning. During periods of high night temperatures, the leaf contrast disappears until evenings cool. Regardless of the leaves, this 6' giant is topped in late summer and early fall with 6-10" stalks of large stunning dark blue flowers!

    Maintenance:

    Salvia guarantica needs to be cut to the ground after frost ends its six month floral display and the stems are dead. This is about the only maintenance it needs. Salvia guaranitca can also be cut to the ground in late summer if it has gotten shabby. It will soon regrow, resume blooming, and look fresh up to fall. This is usually only "necessary" in areas with a long growing season. The plant doesn't mind looking shabby, but the tidy gardener might prefer the refreshed plant.

    Selections of Salvia guarantica vary from clump forming to spreading. The spreading forms are not recommended for small gardens but are superb for large ones, especially where large masses of weed-excluding masses are desired. The clump forming ones are not necessarily small plants but they stay put and die away to the same crown each winter.

    Growing Conditions:

    Adaptability is the nature of this salvia, Salvia guaranitica. It thrives in all day full sun to bright shade. It grows well in wet soils to average moisture soils and tolerates fairly dry soils. Though excessively dry soils will not produce a worthwhile display.

    Garden Value:

    True blue flowers are produced from spring to frost and they are highly favored by hummingbirds. These two features are enough reason to grow it. Hummingbirds will fight over this plant. It might even warrant the name of Hummingbird Sage. Yes, we know what you have been told about hummingbirds and the color red.

    Salvia guaranitica is generally avoided by deer and rabbits as are most members of the mint family. The genus Salvia is one of 236 genera in the Lamiaceae, the mint family.

    Nomenclature:

    Salvia guaranitica is sometimes called Salvia coerulea.