When to plant and prune Salvia (Herbaceous, e.g. 'Amistad', nemorosa)
Salvia (Herbaceous, e.g. 'Amistad', nemorosa) flowers from mid June to early October and the dates below cover planting, flowering and the pruning window.
Planting, flowering and pruning by region
Salvia (Herbaceous, e.g. 'Amistad', nemorosa) is frost-tender, so its timings shift across the UK. Plot works them out from the Midlands and Lowland Wales baseline using Met Office average frost dates.
| Where you are | Plant | In flower | Prune |
|---|---|---|---|
| South West Coast and Cornwall | mid March to mid April | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| South Coast and Channel | late March to mid April | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| Greater London (Urban Heat Island) | mid March to mid April | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| South East and Home Counties | early April to early May | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| East Anglia | mid April to early May | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| Midlands and Lowland Wales | mid April to mid May | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| Wales and West Coast | early April to early May | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| Northern England | late April to late May | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| Scotland Lowlands and Central Belt | early May to late May | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| Scotland Highlands and Islands | late May to mid June | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| Northern Ireland | mid April to early May | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
| Channel Islands and Isle of Man | early March to early April | mid June to early October | early July to mid July |
Growing notes
'Amistad' is a fantastic long-flowering pollinator plant but is only borderline hardy in the UK (H3) — take cuttings in late summer as insurance against a hard winter.
At a glance
- Spacing
- 45 cm between plants
- Eventual height
- 90 cm
- Eventual spread
- 45 cm
- Hardiness
- H3
- Sun
- Full
- Frost tender
- Yes
- Grows in a container
- Yes, 15 litres or more
- Balcony rating
- 4 out of 5
Feeding
Not usually needed in borders; containers benefit from a monthly potassium-rich feed May-September.
Pruning: what to avoid
In cold or exposed gardens, delay the autumn cut-back of hardy herbaceous salvias (e.g. nemorosa) until spring — leaving top growth on over winter protects the crown from frost. Tender types like 'Amistad' need winter protection or must be overwintered under cover in all but the mildest UK gardens.
Pruning group
Cut back hard to near ground level in mid-summer (July) after first flush for repeat bloom
Winter protection
Tender salvias such as 'Amistad' should be overwintered under cover (cuttings or moved to a frost-free spot) except in the mildest UK gardens where a thick mulch may suffice.
What usually goes wrong
- aphids
- capsid bug
- powdery mildew in drought
- frost death of tender types
Related guides
Timings cross-checked against RHS guidance for salvia (herbaceous, e.g. 'amistad', nemorosa).