Salvia canariensis Lancelot seeds - Canary Island sage

Salvia canariensis 'Lancelot' is a variety of Canary Island sage selected for its more compact habit, its almost white velvety foliage, and its splendid summer flowering of lavender pink with purple bracts. This perennial sage with a bushy habit is a fantastic plant for borders, rockeries, or dry gardens. Its foliage is aromatic, and its generous flowering feeds pollinators. Plant it in full sun, in well-drained, even dry soil. Its hardiness does not exceed -8°C in well-drained soil, but growing it in pots allows you to shelter it in winter in cold regions.

The Canary Island sage 'Lancelot' belongs to the Lamiaceae family, a family rich in aromatic and ornamental species. It is a horticultural selection from PanAmerican Seed (U.S.A). The wild species, Salvia canariensis, is native to the Canary Islands, where it naturally grows in dry and sunny areas, often on rocky soils. The 'Lancelot' variety has a perennial crown, and the base of its stems becomes woody over time. Rapid-growing, the plant has a bushy habit, reaching up to 1.10 m in height with a spread of 55 cm. Its flexible stems give a lot of lightness to the vegetation that undulates at the slightest breeze. Its foliage consists of large lanceolate leaves, measuring between 10 and 15 cm in length. These leaves are covered with a thick white fuzz, they are soft and velvety. When crushed, they release a light fragrance. This beautiful foliage persists in winter. The square-sectioned stems, covered with white fuzz, enhance the plant's decorative character even outside of the flowering period.

The flowering of Salvia canariensis 'Lancelot' is spectacular. Depending on the climate, it can start in May-June or in June-July. The long spike-like inflorescences, up to 30 cm in length, bear tubular flowers grouped in spaced whorls. Each flower, measuring about 2.5 cm, displays a lavender pink colour, a pink tinged with blue. These flowers are supported by wide and persistent purple-pink bracts, which remain decorative long after the petals have fallen. the slightly velvety flowers have an upper lip in the shape of a hood, sheltering the stamens, while the lower lip spreads into three smaller lobes. Their vivid shape and colour attract many pollinators, such as bees and butterflies.

In the garden, the Canary Island sage 'Lancelot' allows for creating very colourful borders and beds. Its strong presence and generous flowering work well with other shrubby or perennial plants. To accompany it, choose for example shrubby salvias with blue flowers, Phlomis purpurea, clary sage, Euphorbia characias (Mediterranean spurge), and Cistus creticus (Cretan rockrose). All these plants appreciate full sun and well-drained soils. They form a typical scene in Mediterranean gardens. Salvia canariensis 'Lancelot' can also be grown in pots to bring a touch of exoticism to the terrace.