Salvia argentea 'Artemis'

Salvia argentea, commonly called silver sage, is a clump-forming biennial that is native to southern Europe. Unlike most salvias, plants of this species are grown primarily for their large, woolly leaves and not for their flowers. In the first year, 'Artemis' features a large rosette of soft, felt-like, broad-oval, downy, silver-gray leaves (to 8\ long by 6\" wide) that form an attractive foliage mound to 12\" tall and to 20\" wide. Leaves emerge silver-white in spring but gradually mature to silver-gray to greenish-gray as the summer progresses. In the second year, silver f... more »

Salvia argentea, commonly called silver sage, is a clump-forming biennial that is native to southern Europe. Unlike most salvias, plants of this species are grown primarily for their large, woolly leaves and not for their flowers. In the first year, 'Artemis' features a large rosette of soft, felt-like, broad-oval, downy, silver-gray leaves (to 8\ long by 6\" wide) that form an attractive foliage mound to 12\" tall and to 20\" wide. Leaves emerge silver-white in spring but gradually mature to silver-gray to greenish-gray as the summer progresses. In the second year, silver flower spikes rise well above the foliage to 2-3' tall, topped with tubular, hooded, white flowers that are tinged with pink. Flowers bloom in early summer. Genus name from Latin means safe or healthy. Specific epithet (from the Latin word for silver - argentum) and the cultivar name (silver sage) are both in reference to the young leaves that emerge silver-white in spring. Artemis is the Greek goddess of the hunt." (less)