Planting guide
When to plant salvia
Spikes of vivid flowers that hummingbirds and bees both queue for; many types come back each year. In Melbourne it goes in Sep–Dec.
- Start as
- Seedling or Seed started indoors
- Flowers in
- 1+ years to the first crop
- Spacing
- 40 cm
- Depth
- 0.2 cm
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Water
- Low
- Effort
- Easy
- Colours
- blue, red, purple, pink, white
- Frost-tender
- Yes, plant after the last frost
When it goes in
● means salvia can go in that month, ○ means wait. Worked out from each town's climate zone and season, the way planting guides do it. Pick your town for the full list for that month.
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Melbourne | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Brisbane | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Perth | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Adelaide | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Gold Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Newcastle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Sunshine Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Canberra | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Central Coast | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Geelong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wollongong | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Hobart | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Townsville | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Cairns | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toowoomba | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Darwin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Ballarat | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mandurah | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bendigo | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Launceston | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mackay | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Rockhampton | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Coffs Harbour | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Blue Mountains | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Bunbury | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Bundaberg | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Alice Springs | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Mildura | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Port Macquarie | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Town | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Wellington | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Christchurch | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| London | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Manchester | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Edinburgh | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Dublin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| New York City | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Los Angeles | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Chicago | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Seattle | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Austin | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Toronto | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Vancouver | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Cape Town | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Johannesburg | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ● |
| Singapore | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Mumbai | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● |
| Paris | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
| Berlin | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ● | ● | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ | ○ |
How to plant salvia
- Plant seedlings in full sun after the last frost.
- Water until established, then keep on the dry side.
- Cut back by a third after the first flush.
- Prune hard in late winter for perennial types.
Salvia varieties
Classic varieties are the reliable, widely grown ones. Adventurous ones are heirlooms, odd colours and rarities.
- Blaze of Fire Classic11–17 wksSold by Happy Valley, The Seed Collection
- Blue Bedder Classic11–17 wksBlue flowers
- Tricolour Mix Classicmixed · 11–17 wksMixed colours
- African Sky Classic11–17 wksBlue flowers
- Africana-Lutea Classic11–17 wksRust brown flowers
- Amistad Classic11–17 wksPurple flowers
Where to buy seeds
Shop links may earn us a commission. It never changes what we recommend.
Shops shown are for Australia. The chooser picks shops for your country.
Salvia by month
Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov · Dec
More to plant
Not sure salvia is right for your space? Answer a few taps and see everything that can go in this week.
Find what else you can plant now