They have showy, long-blooming flowers in a rainbow of colors. Their aromatic, resinous foliage makes them very resistant to browsing deer and rabbits. Their nectar-rich flowers attract a wide range of pollinators including honey and native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Which salvias are best for bees?
Salvia ‘Amistad’
This is a new cultivar with a long flowering period from May to October. It is drought tolerant and wildlife and bees love it.
What plant do bees love the most?
The 7 best flowers to plant for bees
- Bee balm (Monarda spp.)
- White wild indigo (Baptisia alba)
- Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
- Black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
- Joe-pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
- Marsh blazing star (Liatris spicata)
- Wrinkleleaf goldenrod (Solidago rugosa)
Where is the best place to plant salvias?
sunny spot
All salvias thrive in a sunny spot. They need well-drained soil and thrive on stony or poor soils. If you are gardening on heavy clay, you will need to improve the soil before planting. All salvias are likely to die in waterlogged soil in winter.
Do salvias come back every year?
Do Salvias Come Back Every Year? There are several types of salvias that are hardy perennials (herbaceous salvias) but most are tender perennials, meaning they can come back every year, but will likely require protection through the winter months.
Do bees like black and blue salvia?
It has an upright, open, and clumping habit. The fragrant leaves are dark green, and the plant produces showy spikes of cobalt blue flowers with black calyces in mid-summer. The nectar of the flowers attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.
Do red salvias attract bees?
There are both annual and perennial varieties of salvia, ranging in color from a beautiful blue purple to a bright red. They all produce flowers that attract bees, but if you choose a perennial variety you’ll enjoy the benefits for many seasons.
What is bee’s favorite flower?
A bee’s flower preference depends on the length of its tongue! Some bees have long tongues that can easily access nectar in tubular-shaped blossoms like penstemon, columbine, and honeysuckle, while those with short tongues go for daisies, asters, and sunflowers.
What plant do bees not like?
Geraniums. Geraniums can be helpful in repelling bees, particularly red geraniums, as bees cannot see the color red. It may seem counterintuitive that a flower would repel bees, but these flowers contain little to no pollen and have a scent that the stinging pest does not particularly like.
Do hydrangeas attract bees?
The fertile flowers of hydrangeas are small and insignificant and not as showy to our eyes but are heavily frequented by bees.
How many years do salvias live?
In my years of working with these types of woody, shrubby salvias I found that some needed to be replaced before or around the 5-year mark. Perennials don’t live forever after all.
Do salvias multiply?
Some salvias often self-propagate, so you might find seedlings you can use in other parts of your landscape! Before flower buds have developed, take cuttings (remove stems) from vegetative (non-flowering) branches that are about 3 inches long. Remove the lower leaves and trim each cutting just below a node.
When should salvias be cut back?
2. Pruning. You will need to prune these plants twice: first in spring and then in July. For the spring trim, make the cut quite low down and remove any dead from the winter.
Should you deadhead salvias?
Deadheading is one of the most important steps in how to care for salvia plants. Deadheading, or cutting off spent flowers and faded blooms, encourages new growth and prevents plants from seeding. The deadheading process is quick but tedious so it’s best to have a sharp pair of pruning shears on hand!
Should salvias be cut back in winter?
Once the flower spikes have faded (generally in early summer), cut the stems right back down to the base. This will encourage a second flush of blooms. Leave the second lot of stems over winter to protect new growth from frosts. Then, cut all old growth off in spring, leaving new, green growth intact.
What goes well with salvias?
Here are some clay-loving companion plants that you can plant with Salvia.
- Poppy Mallow (Callirhoe involucrata)
- Evening Primrose (Oenothera)
- Oriental Poppies (Papaver orientale)
- Daylilies (Hemerocallis)
- Yarrow (Achillea)
- Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)
Are salvias invasive?
Generally speaking, salvias do not have a reputation of being invasive. However, certain species can be a problem in specific regions. Here are ones to be aware of: Salvia aethiopis (Mediterranean sage) has been reported as invasive in parts of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon and Washington.
Are there any flowers that don’t attract bees?
Annual and Tropical Flowers that do not attract bees
- Petunia – red varieties are not attractive to bees, though I have seen bumblebees checking out other colors.
- Celosia – both the flower structure and the red color are abhorrent to bees.
- Cardinal Vine – this red flower is a favorite of hummingbirds, but bees stay away.
Is blue sage invasive?
It may become invasive in wet soils, spreading underground by rhizomes. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for “Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers” a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
What can you plant in front of Salvia?
Try similar plants. Salvia often has attractive foliage or flowers, and other flowering plants go well with it. These include verbena, dahlia, zinnia, Shasta daisy, petunia, marigold, goldenrod, day lilies, daffodils, coreopsis and others that enjoy sunny locations and well-drained soil.
Do salvias attract butterflies?
Salvia. With its resplendent blooms and no-fuss nature, salvia is a favorite with gardeners and butterflies. It thrives in average, well-drained soil in full sun, and blooms for weeks. Butterflies love salvia’s colorful spires.