Salvia (Sage)

‘Apex Blue’ and ‘Apex Pink’

One of the most popular perennials is the Salvia, often referred to as “sage”. A member of the mint family, salvias are long-blooming, colorful and the hummingbirds love them.

This is a large genus with numerous species and hybrids in existence with new varieties appearing every year on the market. Most are native to Mexico, South America or the southern United States. Not surprisingly, they are not the most cold hardy of perennials although some are hardier than others.

They prefer a sunny site but will tolerate light shade. Too much shade will cause plants to be leggy and sparce. They also do not like soils that are too rich. If you have clay soil, ammend it with compost to help break it up. Good drainage is a must and is most essential during the winter months in order to survive. Once established, salvias are drought tolerant and do fine with minimal watering.

Pruning – During the growing season, deadhead spent flower heads to keep plants tidy and to keep the blooms coming. You can also shear back plants that have become too leggy. It is best to cut back salvias with woody stems (such as ‘Hot Lips’) in early spring. Cutting them back in the fall will open plant stems where they will collect water and possibly freeze.

Here are just a few varieties of salvias currently available at Yard N’ Garden Land:

Salvia guaranitica, the Blue Anise Sage are some of the largest growing salvias and capable of reaching 5-6 feet tall. Flower color is in the deep blue range. ‘Black and Blue’ is one of the most familiar names with deep indigo flowers and close to black calyces. A newer variety is ‘Hummingbird Falls’ which feature blooms that cascade. Look for this one in hanging baskets in the greenhouse.

‘Hummingbird Falls’ (Photo courtesy Plant Haven International)

Salvia nemerosa, the Meadow or Woodland Sage, features spikes of blue and bloom in early to mid-summer. Popular varieties include ‘Caradonna’, ‘East Freisland’, ‘May Night’ and ‘Salvatore Blue’. ‘Apex Blue’ and ‘Apex Pink’ (pictured at the top of the page) are taller varieties with intense color. ‘Dark Matter’ has deep purple blooms. 

‘Dark Matter’

Salvia greggii, the Autumn Sage are small (2-4 ft) plants with a compact habit and delicate looking clusters of red to pink flowers. One of my personal favorites is ‘Stormy Pink’ which has a soft pink and white blend. If you like deeper colors, check out ‘Mirage Deep’.

‘Stormy Pink’

‘Mirage Deep’

Salvia pratensis ‘Eveline’ is an upright selection with two-tone spike blooms of pink and light purple.

‘Eveline’

Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’ is one of the most popular choices and for good reason – hummingbirds absolutely adore it. A prolific bloomer with white and red flowers, it is a robust grower when given room to expand. It will easily reach 3 to 4 ft tall with an equal spread during the season.

‘Hot Lips’

Photos by Phillip Oliver unless otherwise noted