ABSTRACT
The most important Salvia species is Salvia splendens Sello. Transfer of plants to a 7-hr day even after 44 days at 16-hr photoperiod resulted in aborted flowers, but transfer to 8-hr photoperiods resulted in normal flower development. Temperature has a pronounced effect on growth, and reduced growth rate will delay flowering. Flowers are short petiolated, zygomorphic, and bisexual. The calyx is persistent, bell-shaped and usually of scarlet color. The characteristically 2-lobed scarlet corolla consists of 5 petals, connate to a little extended. Flowering in May/June and reduction of plant height to about 30 to 50 cm was regarded as a big success in breeding. Abscisic acid applied as a daily spray slightly delayed flowering of cv ‘America’ grown either in LD or short day. Kopcewicz reported isolation of estrogen-like substances from a LD Salvia.
