Salvia nutans
(aka: Salvia pendula) We were smitten when we first saw Salvia nutans in the German garden of plantsman Georg Uebelhart. Surprisingly, it has also thrived in our hot, humid summers, so it’s time to share. Named by Linnaeus in the 1700s, the Balkan native Salvia nutans is surprisingly absent in gardens. The large, green, hastate basal leaves are topped in May and June (NC) with 4′ tall stalks, each ending in wisteria-like pendent clusters of purple flowers. Salvia nutans is extraordinarily elegant in the garden and has proven quite easy to grow in well-drained soils.
