This plant has been grown in Australia a long time and was available long before the influx of salvias in the 1990′s.  Not surprisingly it is the widest grown involucrata.  It is named because of the formation of the bud which is an involucre.

 It has rather attractive reddish green stems and foliage and spikes of lovely deep pink flowers most of summer.   It will have more flowers and grow taller than 1-2m with more than basic moisture.   It can be slashed to the ground in spring if you want more growth and hence more flowers at the one time,  or if you want it shorter.   It looks beautiful in autumn with its deep pink setting off other colours around it.

‘Bethelii’ suckers to some extent and no doubt layers if given the chance,  but it is easy to pull up.  I have never heard it spoken of as being a problem.

Involucratas are very close to karwinskii but the latter only flowers in cooler months.

Price:  $9  .