Perennial
Balkan clary
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in June | Flowers in July | Flowers in August | Flowers in September | ||||||||
| Plant | Plant in April | Plant in May | Plant in September | |||||||||
| Prune | Prune in March | Prune in July | ||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in June | Looks good in July | Looks good in August | Looks good in September |
Overview
This hardy salvia forms upright clumps topped with slender spikes of small violet, blue, pink or white flowers wrapped in coloured bracts, so the colour lingers after the petals drop. Bees work it constantly. Look for 'Caradonna' with deep violet flowers on almost black stems, 'Ostfriesland' (East Friesland) in rich purple, and the pale pink 'Schwellenburg'. It is a reliable alternative to lavender where winters are too wet for that.
Where to grow balkan clary
A sunny, open border with soil that drains well is ideal, and it shrugs off chalk and summer drought once established. Use it in drifts at the front or middle of a border, alongside roses, catmint, achillea and grasses.
Planting
Plant in spring or early autumn, 40–45 cm apart. On heavy soil, dig in grit to improve drainage. Water through the first summer.
Care through the year
Spring
Cut down any old stems you left over winter as new rosettes appear.
Summer
As soon as the first spikes fade, cut the whole plant back to the leafy base; it regrows quickly and reflowers. Water only in prolonged drought.
Autumn
Let late spikes stand, or tidy up if they flop.
Winter
Little needed. Avoid planting where water sits in winter.
Pruning
The summer cut-back is what keeps this plant flowering. Use shears to remove the spent spikes down to fresh foliage. A final tidy of dead stems happens in late winter or early spring.
Propagation
Divide clumps in spring, ideally every few years to keep them vigorous. Softwood cuttings of non-flowering shoots root readily in late spring and early summer.
Common problems
Mostly trouble-free. Slugs may nibble new growth, and powdery mildew can appear in hot, dry spells; water at the base and cut back affected growth. Plants that die over winter usually suffered from waterlogged soil.
Guides to the problems most likely to affect balkan clary:
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in March, April, May, July and September. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.