Pot and bedding - Salvia x superba

Best seller 2009
Salvia x superba
"Adora Blue"
Flowering period: May - August

Height 25 - 50 cm
Spread: 25 - 50 cm
Habit: Upright
Flower type: Spiked
Leaf Color Light Green
Placement: Full sun to partial shade
Water High to medium
Fertilizer need: Average
Plant type: Perennial

Class Best seller 2009

SALVIA X SUPERBA, PERENNIAL SALVIA, HYBRID SAGE 'Adora Blue'

With a dense, clumping habit and a profusion of flower spikes, growers will adore the new Salvia 'Adora Blue'. Deep, violet blue flower petals unfold on upright flower spikes. What makes this Salvia even more unique are the large number of vibrant blue flowers that occur the first year from seed. A dense branching habit and multiple flower stems offer a vast array of color from May through June. This unique specimen is sure to draw attention in the container, as well as the garden.
Flowering early the first year without vernalization, 'Adora Blue' offers growers quick and economical production. 'Adora Blue' fits in with annual production in the early spring, and also fits in with traditional flowering perennial production for the later summer months. 'Adora' offers unique beauty in mixed combination pots or as border planting in any stylish garden setting.
Pair with Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun', Lobelia 'Fan'® and Cerastium 'Silver Carpet' for a vibrant landscape display.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Life Cycle:   Perennial

Garden Height:   35 cm     13,78 inch

Crop Time:   Plug crop: 5-7 weeks; Flowering pots (from transplanting to flower): 8-10 weeks; Flowering after over winter: 8-10 months

Sell Period:   May-October

Seed Count:   1000 K/g

Sowing Time:   January-March for flowering pots from May onwards; August-October for flowering pots the following year

Sowing Method:   1-3 seeds per plug

Germination:   10-21 days at 22-25 °C. Requires light for germination. Cover seed lightly with vermiculite after sowing. Keep soil slightly moist but not wet. From Stage II reduce the temperatures to 18-20 °C

Growing On:   Transplant plugs after 5-7 weeks into pots: 1 plug/10 cm pot or 1-3 plugs/10-15 cm pot.

Media:   Use a well-drained perennial substrate pH 6.0-7.5

Photoperiod / Light:   Long day plant. Long day (14-16 h) supports flower initiation. Night interruption is possible. Keep high light levels to improve the plant quality. In winter and in early spring additional assimilation light is required for pot plant production.

Temperature:   Grow at 10-18 °C or outdoors

Fertilization:   Moderate to high fertilization levels are required.

Cultural Hints:   Dry, light and airy cultivation. Allow pots to dry thoroughly between irrigations. Roots are sensitive to wet substrates. After transplanting and in spring treat the pots with a fungicide against Rhizoctonia.

* Germination Stages (from seed to finished young plant)
Stage I: Starts with the radicle breaking through the testa. The roots are touching the medium. Ends with fully developed cotyledons.
Stage II: Starts from fully developed cotyledons. Ends with the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair.
Stage III: Starts from the fully developed true leaf or true leaf pair and ends with 80% of the young plants being marketable.
Stage IV: All young plants are ready for sale and in the process of being hardened off. This stage lasts about 7 days.

Hint:
The cultural recommendations are based on results from trials conducted under Central European conditions. Different conditions in other parts of the world may lead to deviations in results achieved.

Instructions
http://www.benary.com/data/documents/Instructions1.pdf

FastraX Folder International
http://www.benary.com/index.cfm/startid/153.html