This salvia has serious flower power and is tougher than you might think

 This salvia has serious flower power

In 2020, as part of annual trials at the University of Tennessee Garden in Jackson, we grew 'White Flame' salvia, which was sent to us as a model plant. It was a great performer and earned us our "Best Show" award at the end of the season. Like other "annual" salvias, we expected it to die back in the winter. But to my great surprise, it returned the following year - as it does every year, even though our temperatures sometimes drop below zero.

If you like salvias in general, you're going to love 'White Flame'. The Plants are bushy and compact, with pure white 4- to 6-inch flow-over spikes appearing profusely from planting time until killing frost.Calyxes are bee magnets, and are enjoyed by hummingbirds and butterflies. Unlike many "annual" salvias produced fresh vegetatively, this selection blooms during summer in the South and does not cycle out. 'White Flame' Salvia loves heat and never slows down. Another bonus is that the faded pale flowers don't change a dull color or detract from the beauty of the plant, which is common with some white plants.

'White Flame' is a hybrid of long-spiked sage (S. longispicata). Mealycup sage (S. farinacea), but it often looks like a mealycup sage on steroids. For a real show-stopper, combine 'White Flame' with other hybrid salvias such as 'Mystic Spires' and 'Blue Chill'. It pairs beautifully with most sun-loving perennials and can be used in large mixed containers, where its long flower spikes act as a "thriller." Producing profusions of pure white flowers from spring through fall, 'White Flame' makes a great addition to a cut garden.

Although it is only winter-hardy to zone 7, I have friends in zone 6 who have grown 'White Flame' back in their garden in well-drained soil and a sheltered spot. Even if you live in an area that doesn't have winter, it's worth growing as an annual. If plants look stunted during a long growing season, cut them back lightly and apply fertilizer to revive their growth and flower production. Like most salvias, 'White Flame' is drought tolerant once established, and deer almost always avoid it.