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Giant Andean Sage

Salvia dombeyi

Also called Giant Incan Sage

Giant Andean Sage
Photo: Maya Stanfield-Mazzi, CC BY-SA 4.0

Salvia dombeyi is a tender perennial subshrub from the Andes of Peru and Bolivia that can climb 3 to 6 metres with support, producing very large scarlet flowers. Give it a sheltered spot in full sun or part shade and protect it from frost.

Family
Lamiaceae (Mint family)
Grows as
Climber, Perennial
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water regularly during the growing season and let the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings.
Soil
Well-drained, moderately fertile soil or a standard potting mix with added grit.
Temperature
Tolerates low temperatures but not freezing; protect below 0 °C (RHS hardiness H2).
How easy
Moderate
Native range
Peru to Bolivia
Climate
seasonally dry tropical

About

Salvia dombeyi, the giant Bolivian sage, is a tender perennial plant found at approximately 3000 m elevation in Peru, and is a popular subject for gardens. In cultivation, and with proper support, this vining sage can climb from 3–6 m. The heart-shaped dark green leaves have a long petiole with short hairs. The flowers are among the largest salvia flowers, typically at least 8 cm long—with a 4 cm currant-red calyx and a 9 cm scarlet corolla.

This semi-evergreen plant has been given an H2 hardiness rating by the Royal Horticultural Society in the UK. It tolerates low temperatures, but not freezing. It prefers a sheltered position in full sun or partial shade.

Other Salvia plants

Turkish Black Sage · Wuyi Mountain Sage · Salvia adoxoides · Egyptian Sage · Orange Sage · Mediterranean sage · African Blue Sage · Salvia alatipetiolata · Cederberg Sage · Handsome Sage · Algerian Sage · Salvia amethystina

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Salvia dombeyi by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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