Plants often come in more than one size. Please see the dropdown box below for available sizes
MULBERRY JAM SAGE
Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’
Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ is a long blooming treat, with dense, large and showy heads of rich mulberry-coloured flowers.
With each bloom clasped in a furry crimson-brown calyx. The texture is velvety, the colour sumptuous, and it is a really handy, hardy, shrubby perennial.
‘Mulberry Jam’ is one of the smallest growing of all the wonderful Salvia involucrata hybrids.
So, it is perhaps the best for small gardens, pots, and gardeners with limited space.
1m. High approx. x 80cm. Wide approx.
It is an upright grower, with small dark leaves and purple underside to each leaf. And a very long blooming period over from spring, over summer and autumn.
So again, perfect for a place where you want great value for space allocated.
It makes a showy centrepiece, feature pot, or small background plant.
Native birds & bees will love you
Your local native honey-eating birds also thank you for the constant supply of nectar-rich flowers over so many months. While the bees are besotted too.
Great plant for making a show
Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ is upright growing – so it makes a great background for smaller plants and groundcovers, or as a garden centrepiece to carry the show. Small dark foliage, with each leaf flashing a deep purple back, makes a pretty backdrop to any other flowers.
Great tolerance for hot & dry periods, but also to humidity
Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ is highly recommended for our sub-tropical gardeners, or those with summer humidity, such as in Sydney and further north. But ‘Mulberry Jam’ is also suitable for gardeners in more Mediterranean climates. It also thrives in long, hot, dry summers. And can even tolerate light frosts.
But if you live in an area with heavier frost, then plant Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ beside taller trees and shrubs to give some extra overhead cover. ‘Mulberry Jam’ is perfectly happy in dry shade for part to half of the day.
Water-wise Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’
Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ is a hybrid descended from a cross with Salvia involucrate. All the Salvia involucrata family members are water-wise. So Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ will happily potter along with just some occasional water assistance during long, dry periods.
Sun or Part Shade in a small space
Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ is ideal to plant in drier areas with partial shade, as well as full sun positions.
And is perfect for smaller garden areas or pots where you want a big show without taking up too much room.
But must be well drained soil
Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ needs well drained soil and resents wet feet.
It is happiest in acid to neutral pH soil, without too much fertilizer. It performs best a little on the lean and mean side, and not overfed.
Trick for pruning Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’
All Salvia involucrata hybrids should be pruned hard after flowering (or whenever you can catch them out of flower).
And since Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ blooms all through the summer and autumn, you need to prune hard in late autumn.
So, harden your heart and cut all the large woody stems right back to ground level. Just leaving any fresh shoots that may be emerging.
Or if you can’t bear the temporary bare spot – then cut half the clump back to the ground first, then chop the other half of the clump later. So, you never have a bare spot without colour. The foliage is an asset all year round.
And what is an involucrate Salvia?????
An “involucrate” in botanical talk is a top-knot or a knob at the top of the flower spike.
And it is particularly pronounced and lovely in most hybrids and descendants of Salvia involucrata.
So, on Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ you have a furry, velvety, deeply and coloured top knot on every flower stem.
GROWING: Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’
Height with flowers: 1m approx. Though in richer soils or with more water it can grow higher. It is an excellent background or centre-piece plant.
Width: 1.4m. wide approx. Though can be wider in richer conditions.
Bloom Season: From late spring-early summer, right through summer and well into autumn.
Position: Full Sun to part-shade is optimum. Dappled shade is tolerated. Suits coastal, hot or dry gardens, as well as areas with summer humidity.
Water: Water wise plant. Drought resistant once established. Can tolerate periods of dry well with minimal additional water assistance.
Frost: Tolerates light frosts to approx. -2C. but some overhead shelter from neighbouring trees or shrubs allows it to grow in more frosty areas.
Soil: Tolerates a wide range of soils – from acid to neutral pH. But soil must always be well drained. Particularly suited to sandy soils and coastal positions.
Growth: Upright shrubby perennial.
Care & Maintenance: Easy care, low maintenance.
Pests & Diseases: Rarely troubled by pests or diseases.
Pruning: Pruning is not essential. But your plant will flower better and longer if all mature stems are pruned hard back to the ground in spring, after flowering.
Fertilizer: Do not over-fertilize. Quality fertilizer, such as Powerfeed, can be applied sparingly in spring. This plant is not a heavy feeder.
We recommend to water in with Seasol at planting, and regularly after to enhance resistance against frost, wind and heat.
Container: Hardy & easy in a large pot. And the long blooming season makes it a particularly good feature pot.
Bees, Birds & Pollinators: Flowers are very attractive to bees, butterflies, honey eating native birds, and other beneficial pollinators. The long and prolific winter blooming period means there is abundant nectar for bees and birds over the cold months.
Rabbits & Deer Resistance: Unlikely to be bothered by either rabbits or deer, as they dislike the taste of the aromatic foliage.
Pet Friendly: No known ill effects for pets.
Quarantine Restriction: None. Salvia ‘Mulberry Jam’ can be delivered to all states by Di’s Delightful Plants. One of Australia’s largest on-line mail order nurseries.
Bulk Discount
If you buy 3-6 plants there will be a $0.50 discount per plant"
If you buy 7+ plants there will be a $1.00 discount per plant
Plants on Special are excluded
