How to Grow Salvia
'Euphoria' from Seed
Clary sage grown for its papery pink and mauve bracts, which hold their colour for weeks. Big aromatic rosettes in year one, spires to 120cm in year two.
'Euphoria' is a clary sage grown for its bracts. The true flowers are small and lilac, and they sit within papery bracts of pink and pale mauve that keep their colour for weeks after the flowers have faded. That long-lasting colour is the reason to give it room.
In its first year it makes a broad rosette of large, furry, strongly aromatic leaves. In its second it sends up spires of 100 to 120cm. The musky, herbal scent is released every time you brush past, and the stems cut well for big, loose arrangements.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Plant Type
Biennial or short-lived perennial
Sowing Time
Feb to Apr, under cover
Flowering
July to September, second year
Position
Full sun, dry well-drained soil
Height
100 to 120cm
Difficulty
2 out of 5, easy
Understanding the Plant
'Euphoria' is a variety of Salvia sclarea, clary sage, from the Mediterranean and central Asia. It behaves as a biennial: leaves in the first year, tall flowering spires in the second, then it usually dies after setting seed.
Clary sage is short-lived. Sow it every year if you want it every summer. In dry ground it seeds itself freely, which is a bonus in a relaxed border and a nuisance in a tidy one.
The scent
The musky, herbal smell of the leaves is strong. Some people love it; others prefer it at the back of a border rather than beside a path. Plant it where you are happy to meet it.
When & How to Sow
Sow under cover from February to April. Plants grow leafy rosettes through their first summer and flower the next.
Sow each year
For flowers every summer, sow a few seeds every spring. This year's plants flower next year while new seedlings build up behind them.
Sow and lightly cover. Sow a few seeds per module and cover lightly with compost. Keep at around 18 to 21°C. Seedlings appear in one to three weeks.
Pot on. Thin to one seedling per cell and pot on once roots fill the module.
Plant out. Harden off and plant out from May to June, around 45cm apart, in full sun and dry, well-drained soil.
Growing On Tips
Sun and dry soil
Full sun and free-draining ground suit it best. Wet winters can rot the rosettes.
Give it room
The first-year rosette is broad, so allow space around it.
Cutting
Cut spires when the bracts are coloured. They add structure to large, loose arrangements.
Drying
Stems dry reasonably well hung upside down in a dark, airy place.
Pollinators
Bees visit the flowers throughout summer.
Self-seeding
Leave a few spires to seed if you want it to keep appearing; remove them if you don't.
Common Problems & How to Fix Them
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| No flowers in the first year | Normal biennial habit | Flowering spires appear in the second summer. |
| Plant dies after flowering | Short-lived by nature | Sow every year for continuous flowers. |
| Rosettes rot over winter | Wet, heavy soil | Improve drainage or plant in a raised or gravelly spot. |
| Seedlings everywhere | Free self-seeding | Cut spires before seed ripens. |
| Young leaves eaten | Slugs and snails | Protect young plants after planting out. |
When to Expect Flowers
Plants sown this spring make rosettes in their first year and flower from July to September the following summer.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🌱 Sow (year 1) | ||||||||||||
| 🪴 Plant out (year 1) | ||||||||||||
| 🌸 Flowering (year 2) |
Plant Specifications
Long-lasting pink bracts on tall clary spires
Sow each spring, plant out in full sun, and from the second summer enjoy weeks of pink and mauve spires for the border and the vase.
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