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 One of my favorite things in the garden is Purple. In May andJune, after the spring blooming tulips and irises have faded, my garden erupts
with blooms of purple. Scabiosa, veronica, false indigo, balloon flower, and so
on and so forth. One of my purple perennials, however, makes a bigger statement
than all the rest. And that would be Salvia farinacea 'Henry
Duelberg'.
This Texas native perennial produces spikes of showy
purple-blue flowers from April until first frost in November. ‘Henry Duelberg’
grows taller than most other varieties of the same species, to about 3 feet
tall. This variety is also more mildew resistant and winter hardy. Plants will spread assertively to fill just
about as much space as you’ll give them. The one-gallon plant I added to my
garden two summers ago is now a clump almost 4-feet across. So make sure to
give it room to grow.
‘Henry Duelberg’ is extremely tough and tolerant of most
growing conditions. Plants tolerate full blazing sun all day and limited
watering. The one thing this variety does not like is wet feet…don’t overwater
or place in areas that have poor drainage. You can shear plants regularly to
keep them blooming heavily all season. After the first frost you can cut all the
foliage down to ground level. Butterflies and bees are attracted to this beauty
by the droves.
In my garden, I have ‘Henry Duelberg’ planted alongside
roses. It makes an excellent rose companion, as the foliage hides the lower
less attractive part of a rose plant while the blooms of both plants make a
beautiful combination. Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’, Autumn Sage and ornamental
grasses are also good companions.
Leslie Finical Halleck is a Horticulturist and General
Manager for North Haven Gardens in Dallas.
Leslie
Finical Halleck is a horticulturist and general manager for North Haven Gardens
in Dallas, Texas.
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