Salvia nemorosa Salute White - Woodland Sage

The Salvia nemorosa 'Salute White' is a perennial variety of sage characterized by a compact habit and a generous and vibrant pure white flowering. This medium-sized and well-groomed selection will delight enthusiasts of robust and countryside flowers that promote biodiversity. It produces a multitude of small white flowers, clustered on long spikes, dominating a tuft of dark grey-green foliage, pleasantly aromatic. Hardy and bright, it is easy to combine in borders as well as in flowering pots. 

The Salvia nemorosa 'Salute White' is a hardy perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae or Labiatae. Its wild ancestor, the wood sage, is a species native to central Europe and western Asia. The 'Salute White' cultivar is a branching clump, with an adult size not exceeding 50 cm in flower height and 50 cm (20in) in width. This perennial develops from a prostrate rosette composed of oval, rough, dark grey-green leaves with toothed edges, aromatic when crushed. It exhibits a bushy, heavily branched and sturdy habit in summer. The flowering begins in May-June and continues until August-September, but providing the soil does not dry out too much and the faded flowers are regularly pruned. It takes the form of terminal clusters carrying numerous small white flowers (0.5 to 1 cm (0in)) with green bracts. The beautiful nectar-rich flower spikes are a delight for bees and butterflies. The vegetation of this sage persists more or less in winter. Its very cold-resistant stump does not fear harsh winters if the soil is properly drained. 

Plant 'Salute White' sage along the edge of a border in combination with carnations, coreopsis or catmints, for example. It is an excellent candidate for ornamenting terraces and balconies, but also a privileged host for low-maintenance borders. Easy to grow, this variety is one of the hardiest salvias, and as such, a fantastic garden perennial that does not disappoint. It withstands everything, even wind, cold, heat, and poor soils. This variety is particularly suitable for a white garden, for example along a pathway, but it blends very easily with all types of flowerings. It is superb when accompanied by pink-flowered plants like the 'The Fairy' rose, a red rose for a strong contrast (Rouge Cascade), or with hardy geraniums. It also pairs well with shrubby Lavateras, Penstemons, Paeonies.

With over 900 species of annuals, perennials, and soft-wooded shrubs distributed all over the world, except in very cold regions and tropical forests, the genus Salvia is the richest in the family Lamiaceae. The name Salvia, dating back to Roman times, derives from the Latin word salvus meaning 'healthy' in reference to the medicinal properties of common sage.