Pincushion Flower
Oxford Blue Salvia is a versatile garden flower that brings elegant, richly colored bracts to borders and bouquets. This open-pollinated cultivar of Salvia viridis grows as a bushy plant reaching 30-40 inches tall, producing flowers within 80-95 days from sowing. It's prized equally as a fresh cut flower and as material for dried arrangements, making it one of those rare plants that delivers garden beauty in multiple forms.
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Moderate
9-11
40in H x ?in W
Perennial
High
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Oxford Blue Salvia earns its place in cutting gardens through its uniform, elegant appearance and remarkable longevity both in water and dried. The colored bracts stiffen nicely for hanging, and successive sowings every few weeks ensure a continuous supply of blooms from late spring through the season. Whether you're filling a vase or building dried arrangements, this variety performs with reliable quality and minimal fuss.
Oxford Blue Salvia excels as a cut flower for fresh arrangements, where its sturdy stems and long vase life make it especially valuable. The plant equally shines when dried, with bracts that develop color depth and texture perfect for winter bouquets and dried flower displays.
Sow seeds 4-6 weeks before your last frost date into 72-cell flats, gently pressing seeds into soil with minimal or no soil covering, as light aids germination. Water by bottom watering or misting lightly to avoid displacing tiny seeds. In the greenhouse, maintain temperatures of 50-55°F to keep seedlings compact and sturdy. Once the first true leaves appear, transplant into cell packs or larger containers. Harden off seedlings gradually over 7-10 days before moving outdoors.
Plant out after the last frost when seedlings have been hardened off. Space transplants 12-18 inches apart, adjusting spacing based on your desired final size and garden density.
Direct sow 2-4 seeds every 12-18 inches after the last frost has passed. For continuous bloom, make successive sowings every 2-3 weeks until late spring. Thin seedlings to 12-18 inches apart once established.
For fresh cut flowers, harvest when the colored bracts are fully developed and at their deepest color. For dried flowers, wait until the colored bracts have stiffened slightly, then cut stems and hang upside down in a dry, airy location to cure completely.
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