Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica 'Alba'

Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica ‘Alba’ is a choice perennial or biennial with impressive flowers over a long period, surviving in all free-draining soils but particularly useful for dry, poor ones.

Low mounds of hairy, wrinkled leaves are topped by stiff stems carrying impressive spikes of white flowers and bracts with a rose to blue blush. Both flowers and bracts are papery, giving them a long life, with flowering lasting from spring to summer and often into autumn. They also have an unusual pearly quality which makes the whole plant shimmer in the sunshine.

Drought tolerant once established, Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica ‘Alba’ makes a superb choice for a sunny gravel garden or Mediterranean border. Although a short-lived perennial or biennial, it will seed freely, with some seedlings even flowering in the first year. Like most Salvias, the whole plant is very aromatic, making it resistant to many pests including deer. The blooms are a magnet for pollinators and make long-lasting cut flowers. Height: 90cm (35in). Spread: 30cm (12in).