Purple Sage 'Purpurascens'

Salvia officinalis 'Purpurascens' is a highly architectural and colourful evergreen shrub that is a staple of both Mediterranean and traditional English gardens. Its young leaves are a deep, smoky purple, maturing to a soft grey-green with a purple flush, providing a constant source of rich colour in the border. The leaves are broad, velvety, and strongly aromatic, widely used in roasting and Mediterranean cuisine. In early summer, it produces upright spikes of attractive blue-mauve flowers that are a favourite of bees. This cultivar has a sturdy, mounding habit, typically reaching around 60cm. It is very hardy in the UK, provided it is grown in full sun and well-drained soil. It is more robust than the variegated sages and can be used to create low, informal hedging or as a focal point in a herb garden. Regular light pruning in spring will stop the plant from becoming excessively woody and encourage a more intense purple colour in the new growth.

Sun: Full sun.

Soil: Well-drained soil.

Hardiness: H5 — down to −15°C.

Flowering: Jun, Jul.