Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Caradonna Salvia (Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Caradonna wood sage, Woodland sage.

More about caradonna salvia

About Caradonna Salvia

Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' · also called Caradonna wood sage, Woodland sage · flowering

'Caradonna' is a standout woodland sage with slender, near-black flowering stems carrying spikes of deep violet-purple blooms from late spring into summer. This clump-forming, aromatic perennial is drought-tolerant, deer-resistant and a magnet for bees and butterflies. Its strong vertical form and dark stems make it a favourite for contemporary and naturalistic perennial borders.

Cold limit: USDA 4-8 · RHS H7 (-34 to 30°C)

Watch for — Crown rot in wet soil: Heavy, waterlogged winter soil rots the crown. Plant in sharply drained ground and avoid overwatering, particularly in clay.

What caradonna salvia's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — caradonna salvia is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H7 and USDA 4-8, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H7 means: Hardy in the severest European continental winters. On the US scale that maps to USDA 4-8 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly below about −20 °C. Caradonna Salvia is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for caradonna salvia as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can caradonna salvia go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 4-8 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when caradonna salvia can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H7 figure above.

Caradonna Salvia hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is caradonna salvia cold hardy?

Yes — caradonna salvia is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H7 and USDA 4-8, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Caradonna Salvia is hardy across USDA 4-8; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature caradonna salvia can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly below about −20 °C. Caradonna Salvia is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is caradonna salvia?

Caradonna Salvia is rated USDA 4-8 and RHS H7 — Hardy in the severest European continental winters.

Can caradonna salvia survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 4-8 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to caradonna salvia below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −20 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.