Salvia x sylvestris Lyrical Katsjing

Salvia nemorosa 'Lyrical Katsjing' or Salvia x sylvestris 'Katsjing' is a variety of compact bush sage with long and abundant intense pink flowering. It forms a small, well-branched bushy clump, has aromatic grey-green foliage, and blooms densely from early to late summer. Not demanding in terms of water, tolerant of clayey and limestone soils, it is a perennial as generous as it is easy to grow. Excellent in borders or containers, charming in a planter. It is highly attractive to pollinating insects.

Salvia nemorosa 'Lyrical Katsjing' is an American horticultural selection from the 'Lyrical' series. It is a perennial of the mint family or labiates. Its wild ancestor, wood sage, is a native species of Central Europe and Western Asia. 'Lyrical Katsjing' forms a small, bushy clump of leafy stems, reaching a height of 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in) when in bloom, with a spread of approximately 50cm (20in). This perennial develops from a prostrate rosette of rough, grey-green, ovate leaves with toothed edges that persist throughout winter. Flowering begins in May-June, followed by new waves of flowers between July and September if the faded flower spikes are pruned. The flowers are produced in terminal clusters composed of numerous small flowers (0.5 to 1cm) of intense and vibrant pink, surrounded by burgundy to purple bracts. This mix of colours is very refreshing. The beautiful compact spikes with nectar-rich flowers delight butterflies. The base of the stems is often reddish.

This 'Katsjing' wood sage is resistant to wind, cold, heat, and adapts to a wide range of soils. It looks superb when planted alongside blue, violet, or white salvias in a border. It also pairs well with ground-cover roses ('Bees Paradise Pink', 'Opalia', 'Nozomi') or with grey foliage. In a small bed, it complements well, for example, Physocarpus opulifolius Lady in Red' with its beautiful purple foliage. It also pairs nicely with pink-flowering plants such as the rose vervain 'Rosea', the shrubby mallow 'Barnsley', or Penstemon 'Evelyn'. It also works perfectly in the composition of beds and borders alongside the blue flowers of Perovskia or perennial Geraniums.

With over 900 species of annuals, perennials, and softwood shrubs distributed all over the globe, except in very cold regions and tropical forests, the genus Salvia is the most diverse in the mint family. The name Salvia, which dates back to Roman times, derives from the Latin salvus, meaning "healthy," alluding to the medicinal properties of common sage.