Date: Sun, 12 May 2002 04:09:21 -0400
From: Steven Wells <swells@RMA.EDU>
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast
<HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu>
To: HUMNET-L@listserv.lsu.edu
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] fav plants/invasive exotics.

Salvia Darcyii along with monarda is my best Hummer plant. It is the only
Salvia with large red flowers and hardy to 0 degrees. I do not get near the
heat and humidity you do as i am in the mountains of northern Virginia. If
I am not mistaken, Darcyii was discovered living @ 7500 to 9500 feet of
elevation Near stands of Oaks so it is not a typical dessert Salvia. I have
found it to be very drought resistant. When it blooms the hummers look at
nothing else. I can get pretty warm in the summer but not sustained heat of
more than a couple of weeks of over 90.

At 09:27 PM 5/11/2002 -0500, you wrote:
>Janelle,
>
>At 07:54 PM 5/11/02 -0400, Janelle Breaux wrote:
>
>>I just bought Salvia Darcyii at The Gardens in Lafayette. They have a
>>really good selection of salvias. Is this one a good Hummer plant?
>
>I've had no doubt Salvia darcyi would be a great hummer plant ever since I
>saw a picture of it in a Yucca Doo catalogue years ago. However, the
>question for us down here might be "Can we grow it?" I've invested a
>small fortune in Salvia darcyi plants only to have them melt away as soon
>as the really hot humid weather starts. I've tried it in the ground, in a
>large clay pot, with regular soil, with lime added, shade, sun, and the
>result has always been the same.

>I'd be curious to know if any south Louisiana humgardener is having
>success with this splendid plant and if so, how do you grow it.
>
>NLN
>
>***************************
> Nancy L Newfield
> Casa Colibrí
> Metairie, Louisiana USA

=======================

Date: Mon, 9 Jun 2003 22:02:54 -0500
Reply-To: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
From: BB for Hummingbirds and Gardening for them in the Southeast <HUMNET-L@LISTSERV.LSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: [HUMNET-L] Salvia Darcyi

James: I have had widely varying results with Salvia darcyi in
differing
spots in my yard. In some beds it barely survives while in others
it grows
to 4'x4' bush and blooms all summer long. When happy, it is one
of the very
best hummer plants. The successful plants in my beds have had the
following
situation:
* Raised and well drained, sandy bed with limited organic content
* Twice weekly watering in the hot months
* Full sun including western exposure
* Crushed limestone added to bedding soil
* Chunks of limestone rock surrounding each plant, semi-mulched
this way.
Mulching with limestone gravel would do the same thing.
* Protection from crowding or shading by surrounding plants
* Protection from breakage by pets or passersby, it is brittle
My failures have included situations containing some but not all
of the
above. I think that you must fulfill all the above requirements
for success
except perhaps the limestone chunks though I really believe that
they do
help. It is so good that the extra effort is well worth it.


Paul Dickson
Shreveport