This striking flowering sage is producing late blooms on the Systematic Beds.
The genus Salvia is invaluable to the gardener in providing a long season of interest. Comprising 900 species from temperate and tropical regions of the world, and from a range of habitats it is unsurprising that this genus of hardy and tender perennials has found its way into our gardens. The genus belongs to the mint family Lamiaceae, and as such most have scented foliage, square stems and two-lipped flowers. Salvia involucrata ‘Bethelii’ is a sub-shrubby Mexican species with velvety leaves and terminal racemes of brilliant cerise, tubular flowers held in contrasting red-pink calyces.