The growth and flowering of Salvia splendens Sellow ex Roem. et Schult. under flowerbed conditions

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of accompanying plants as well as bark mulching, common for green areas, on the growth, flowering and decorative values of scarlet sage Salvia splendens Sellow ex Roem. et Schult. The field experiment included two cultivars of sage: ‘Red Torreador’ and ‘Luna’; two species of accompanying plants: French marigold – Tagetes patula nana L. ‘Petit Gold’ and flossflower – Ageratum houstonianum Mill.; as well as pine bark mulching. The control group was a monoculture of scarlet sage, without mulching. Pine bark mulching had a beneficial influence on almost all growth and flowering characteristics of scarlet sage. The plants growing on mulched soil were higher, had more leaves and branches as well as their inflorescences were longer and had more whorls than the plants growing without mulching. S. splendens growing with other species had fewer leaves and fewer branches. Its side stems and lateral inflorescences were shorter. The accompanying species also limited the mass of scarlet sage. The vicinity of marigold and flossflower had no influence on the height of S. splendens plants, the number of whorls and flowers within inflorescences. The growth of scarlet sage was largely modified by weather conditions; the plants grew best between June 20^th and July 18^th, with the best decorative effect achieved in July. The drought caused the flowers to dry out during the second half of the summer each year, limiting the decorative values of sage.