The Bald Sages of Fall

Salvia glabrescens is a little-known (in gardening circles) woodland perennial sage from the mountains of Japan’s Honshu Island. We have been thrilled with their garden performance since 2005, but equally disappointed at their sales. Customers continually ask for fall-flowering plants for the woodland garden, yet fail to buy them when they are made available. Salvia glabrescens, which means “hairless”, forms an 18″ tall clump of spade-shaped leaves. Starting for us in late September, the plants are topped with clusters of flowers. Average to slightly moist soils are best. As you can see in the photos below, the flower color has a wonderful range. Outside of Japan, only Issima Nursey is currently working to make new selections. Hardiness is Zone 5b-8b.

Salvia glabrescens ‘Autumn Enchanter’
Salvia glabrescens ‘Autumn Air’
Salvia glabrescens ‘Autumn Equinox’

6 thoughts on “The Bald Sages of Fall”

  1. Isn’t Kermit Carter (formerly Flowers by the Sea) still doing some salvia breeding (albeit, I think he’s not focusing on the Asian shade salvias)? (I don’t think I’ve heard from him recently on an orchid forum.)

  2. I have been at JLBG four times this fall looking to buy ‘Autumn Equinox’ … at the September Member Tour, at the Fall Open House, at the October Member Tour 1st Wednesday of the month, and yesterday for the Fall Native North American Flowering Plants class. All three times, I looked for Salvia glabrescens in the sales greenhouses, and checked with staff to see if it was available. I would buy Autumn Equinox (LOVE this one in the garden at JLBG!) or any other purple flowered cultivar if you had it for sale, or Autumn Enchanter, which is pinker. They are both in my Wishlist. Not as crazy about the Elk Yellow & Purple one, since it is very similar to the Salvia koyame I already have, but that’s the only one you have listed in your catalog as available for sale. ‘Autumn Air’ doesn’t come up at all as ever having been in your online catalog, but I would buy that one as well. Hope you will be able to make ‘Autumn Equinox’ or some of the others available soon, and that you will email me when they become available! I have mostly shade and clay, and while I love all the Salvia greggii, microphylla, and x jamensis you carry that are deer resistant and gorgeous in fall, they are not happy here.

    1. We’re hoping to build interest in these amazing plants, so that we can justify putting them back in production.

  3. Are these in bloom by the time of your last open house of the year? I know I’m inspired to buy things I see, esp those attracting pollinators or lighting up a dark space.

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