This impressive, fine new variety has been specially bred as a foliage plant, with rosettes of deep bronze-purple leaves. Beautifully veined and held in outstretched layers on low-growing plants, they keep their colour through summer as the plant grows quickly to its mature size. In autumn, the plant transforms itself again, the foliage turning bright crimson and scarlet. And when frost comes, this plant keeps its aboveground growth, remaining evergreen in all but the harshest climates.

From mid-spring through early summer, they are topped by long, slender stems crowded with small, delicate blooms that open pale purple and mature to silver and white, which themselves, on an ordinary green-leaved plant, would gain much attention.

'Purple Volcano' has so many merits it's difficult to grasp them all. This is a self-sowing plant, so it makes a fine mass planting in open settings and large areas. It tolerates sun or shade, and thrives in just about any well-drained soil, from heavy clay to sand, from rich loam to poor dry dust. Absolutely any landscape will benefit from an injection of strong colour from this very easy, low-maintenance Salvia!

Sowing:
Sow February to June
If at least 15°C (59°F) is not possible, do not sow before March. Germination can be slow if a fairly warm temperature is not maintained – around 18-24°C (64-75°F) seems to be ideal. Start indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the last frosts are due. Do not cover the seed as light is needed for germination. A fungicidal drench to prevent damping off might be helpful.
Prick out the seedlings as appropriate. For best results the next move should be to a larger pot, increasing the size of these according to growth. From the larger pots, move the plants to outdoor positions at the end of May or early June. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10-15 days before planting out into their final positions. Space 15-30cm (6-12”) apart. Pinch out growing tip when plants are 6 inches tall to encourage bushy growth. Water, fertilize and dead-head regularly.

Cultivation:
Salvia require pretty much full sun to bloom they do well if they are planted in the shade but will have fewer blooms and be more 'leggy'.
Although drought-tolerant once established, a moderate amount of water must be supplied to young plants. Water freely in periods of drought.
A typical recommendation is that Salvia benefit from monthly liquid fertilizing to keep it blooming non-stop, though they will often bloom impressively without such attention.

Remove the spikes of salvias after blooms have faded to encourage continuous bloom. Some gardeners prefer to let salvia flowers go to seed. Wait until new growth begins to emerge in early spring to do your winter cleanup of old stems to avoid freeze damage. The best time to divide perennial salvias is in early spring, before new growth begins.

Plant Uses:
Coastal, Flowers Borders and Beds, Mediterranean or Wildlife Gardens, Patio/Container Plants. Cut or Dried Flowers. Drought & Heat Tolerant

Nomenclature:
Unusually large leaves, up to 15cm long and 5cm broad, some similar to the shape of a lyre, give the species its common name of Lyre-leafed Sage
Salvia, from the Latin word meaning “I heal” or “safe”, refers to the medicinal qualities of some species. Sometimes known as sage or clary, this is a large genus containing both annual and perennial species many of which come from California and tropical America, although there are a few of European origin.

Origin: S. lyrata is a species of sage native to the eastern United States, from Connecticut west to Kansas, and south to Florida and Texas.

Literature:
The New Book of Salvias: Sages for Every Garden - ISBN-13: 9780881925609
Following the great success of Betsy Clebsch's first book on salvias comes an expanded edition. Betsy has added more than 50 new species and cultivars, bringing the total to approximately 150 beautiful, garden worthy species and significant hybrids. She documents them alphabetically and includes botanical descriptions, information on habit, blooming cycle, recommended companion plants, and delightful historical titbits of discovery and usage.
Nearly 100 new photos and illustrations make this new edition even more attractive than its predecessor. In her ardent pursuit of salvias, Betsy has explored the wild to collect plants and seeds to test in her California garden. The resulting wealth of cultural information ensures that our gardens will not only be exquisitely aromatic but also beautiful !