The Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia (Salvia Farinacea) Care Guide


The Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia, otherwise known as the Salvia Farinacea or Purple Sage, Salvia officinalis Purpurascens Group, Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurea’, is a rather well known shrub plant by gardening enthusiasts around the world.

Best known for its low maintenance and moderate growth, this shrub will likely liven up your house (or garden) with its green colored leaves. But, only if you learn how to take proper care of it for it to thrive.

This is why all the topics you need to know in order to achieve this will be covered in this Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia Care Guide. Ready? Let’s go!

The basic care guidelines you need to remember for your Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia are the following:

  • Water: The Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia prefers constant watering each week and more during the hot season.
  • Light: Keep your Salvia Farinacea in an environment where it can receive full sun on a daily basis. 
  • Soil: Make sure to keep the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia in soil with moist but well-draining properties, so ideally, one that is made of sand, chalk, and loam.

And that’s practically it! If you keep these three factors in check, your Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia will likely have all it needs for it to survive and even thrive.

Salvia farinacea care

Scientific / Botanical Aspects

In botanical terms, the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia belongs to the Lamiaceae family, the genus Salvia and the species Officinalis, hence its scientific (or botanical) name Salvia Farinacea (SAL-via far-ih-NAH-kee-uh).

As with other Salvia’s, the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia is a herbaceous plant, which means it will die back to the ground every year. 

Growing Region

The Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia is a plant native to the SW. Germany to S. Europe.

Knowing your plant’s native region is very useful, as it can give you tips on which environment is best for your Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia. If you keep it in mind, you can try to replicate these conditions at home, and you’ll likely end with a healthier plant.

With this in mind, the Salvia Farinacea will be most used to the heat zones in the 1 – 10 region, as the plant hardiness level falls between 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8b, 8a and the ideal climate zone is between 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2.

Growth and Size

Growth

In terms of size and growth, the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia is a relatively moderate grower, which makes things somewhat easy for any plant enthusiast.

Size

But what exactly does this mean for your Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia? How large a pot should you consider, how tall, how wide can it get? Let’s jump in…

The Salvia Farinacea can grow up to 1′ – 2′ (30cm – 60cm) in 1′ – 2′ (30cm – 60cm) and 1′ – 2′ (30cm – 60cm) in 1′ – 2′ (30cm – 60cm). 

These dimensions make the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia a relatively medium shrub compared to others, so it’s best to keep this fact in mind since it will affect where you want to keep yours at home.

Also, expect it to grow in a wonderful mounding, and upright shape, which is something worthwhile to remember when making your garden landscape plans.

This is why experts recommend keeping an area of approximately 18″ – 24″ (45cm – 60cm) free so the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia can spread to its best extent.

Water

In terms of watering, the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia is a fairly simple plant to take care of.

This is mostly because it has a straightforward watering schedule and somewhat regular watering needs.

Specifically, most experts agree that the Salvia Farinacea prefers constant watering each week and more during the hot season.

Which is why it is considered a plant with relatively average needs in terms of water.

Salvia farinacea plants

Watering

As a rule of thumb, you should remember to keep your Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia in soil with moist but well-draining characteristics, as these will guarantee the right conditions for your plant to grow and thrive. 

When you consider this, this is why you should aim to choose soil that has good drainage, and occasionally dry properties to keep the right moisture levels at all times. 

In our experience, the famous ‘thumb’ or ‘finger’ test is what works best for the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia since with it, you will be able to give it the right amount of water, every time – regardless of the environment or placement where you do decide to keep it.

Soil Mix

As mentioned earlier, the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia prefers to have soil with good drainage, and occasionally dry properties at all times, reason why you need to make the soil mix out of sand, chalk, and loam.

This is why most experts agree that the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia requires soil with shallow rocky, which will give you the right conditions it needs.

In addition to this, expert gardeners recommend having preferably alkaline, acid or neutral soil.

Light and Exposure

In terms of light & exposure, the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia requires full sun in order for it to thrive under the right conditions. 

Most experts agree that this shrub will do well as long as you keep it in full sun, and it will be able to grow properly.

Specifically, we recommend that you place your Salvia Farinacea in little to partial shade (only 2-6 hours of direct sunlight a day), to full and direct sun (more 6 hours of direct sunlight per day).

Season

Being a herbaceous plant, the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia will die back to the ground every year. 

But, you can expect it to have its ‘prime-time’ during the summer (early, mid).

Flowers

You can expect your Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia to flower around the spring and in the summer months from April to June (spring), and from July to September (summer).

In particular, this shrub is well known for its long bloom season, flowers for cutting and showy flowers around the plant enthusiast community.

The Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia produces some beautiful violet-blue, or purple/lavender, bluepink, and white flowers around this time of year.

Foliage

The leaves from the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia have a beautiful green color during most of the year.

In particular, they have a simple arrangement in its leaves.

You can expect the leaves from your Salvia Farinacea to be around (3-6 inches) in size.

Salvia farinacea up close

Attracts, Tolerance and Resistance

The Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia is well known for being able to attract hummingbirds and butterflies, so keep that in mind when choosing your plant, as you’ll likely end up finding one or another in your garden.

Additionally, it has a special tolerance for rocky soil, dry soil, drought and animals like deer, so don’t worry if any of these come along, your Salvia Farinacea will be fine.

Garden

Does your Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia have any garden recommendations? Does it serve any gardening purposes? Here’s how you can get the most out of your new plant.

Most Salvia Farinacea owners agree that this shrub will look great in most rustic, cottage mediterranean, and xeric gardens of all types. 

Other owners consider that they complement well most gardens of informal and cottage, city and courtyard, and in mediterranean garden styles. 

In particular, the Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia’s best location within your garden is in beds and borders, and in patio and containers, others use it for landscaping in a urban garden, mass planting, border, accent, container, cutting garden, or a wildlife garden.

Companion Plants

Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia’s do well with some other plants beside it. One good companion plant is the Echinacea, which will pair up nicely with your leafy friend.

Others consider that a nice Panicum will work well too, so choose whichever you find works best for you!

Conclusion

So that’s it! These are the main plant care requirements that you need to keep in mind in order to have a healthy Sallyfun™ Deep Ocean Salvia in your garden or home.

List of other popular Lamiaceae plants:

Sebastian Moncada

I’m also a plant enthusiast and researcher. I’ve been privileged to have lived my whole life around the wilderness of Colombia and I’m happy to share everything I learn along the way. “Adopt the pace of nature. Her secret is patience” – Emerson.

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