Salvia Description, Species, Uses, & Facts
For culinary sage, less fertilizer actually leads to more flavorful leaves. A bit of compost worked into the soil in spring is often enough. Container-grown sage is perfect for patios, balconies, or even sunny indoor spots. Don’t have the perfect garden spot for sage?
Yugoslavian Cut Leaf Sage
- Many varieties (typically those with light-colored flowers) will also do well in part-shade, but flowering will be reduced.
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- The common modern English name sage derives from Middle English sawge, which was borrowed from Old French sauge, from Latin salvia (the source of the botanical name).
A must-grow plant in herb gardens, culinary sage (Salvia officinalis) features wonderfully scented silvery-gray leaves and spikes of lilac flowers in early summer. This perennial salvia plant is easy to grow and will reward you with gorgeous blooms from summer to fall year after year. East friesland salvia (Salvia nemorosa) is another salvia plant with generous bloom periods, showing off their spiky purple flowers for the entire summer. Gentian sage (Salvia patens) has stunning two-lipped blue flowers, with bloom periods between mid-summer to mid-fall. Common sage (S. officinalis), a woody perennial growing 60 cm (2 feet) tall, bears aromatic leaves that are the source of the culinary herb.
Contrast this variety’s rich blue flowers and upright habit with a silvery skirt of trailing licorice plant. It’s a good selection for cutting and makes a beautiful accent when planted with deep blue flowers. Like most other salvias, it offers scented foliage, so deer and rabbits usually leave it alone.
Most salvias prefer full sun, but there are a few types that will do well in filtered shade. A deciduous sage that spreads slowly by tuberous roots, salvia trip explained this plant won the prestigious Award of Garden Merit from RHS. It does get red flowers in the fall, but generally only in warmer Southern regions. This variety has aromatic foliage that smells like pineapple and is mainly grown for its foliage. Even as blooms fade, the deep-blue calyxes remain, keeping the stalks looking vibrant and full. Many gardeners think flopping is a sign that it is time to prune or divide their salvia.
Red Salvia
The flowering stems bear small bracts, dissimilar to the basal leaves—in some species the bracts are ornamental and showy. The common modern English name sage derives from Middle English sawge, which was borrowed from Old French sauge, from Latin salvia (the source of the botanical name). Pliny the Elder was the first author known to describe a plant called „Salvia” by the Romans, likely describing the type species for the genus Salvia, Salvia officinalis. The name Salvia derives from Latin salvia (sage), from salvus (safe, secure, healthy), an adjective related to salūs (health, well-being, prosperity or salvation), and salvēre (to feel healthy, to heal). Is there any sign of damage to the two plants, from overwintering, animals, or disease/insects? Some salvias often self-propagate, so you might find seedlings you can use in other parts of your landscape!
Not only that, black and blue sage is resistant to deer. Gentian sage is most often treated as an annual in cooler climates but is usually a perennial. It is resistant to deer and rabbits and is best grown in pollinator, herb, butterfly, cottage, and edible gardens. Clary sage (Salvia sclarea) is a biennial herbaceous perennial.
Growing
You can propagate baby sage by division or stem cutting. It’s a species that hybridizes easily, meaning it has a variety of hybrids and cultivars. Baby sage (Salvia microphylla) is an evergreen shrub. It’s a semi-evergreen perennial that reaches up to 3 feet in height. Hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea) earned its name for the exact reason you’d expect–hummingbirds love it. It thrives in well-drained soil and partial shade.
Picking the right spot for your salvia can make a difference in how well the plant grows and flowers. Ornamental salvias are also a relative of common sage, the culinary herb used for cooking. With close to 1,000 species worldwide, salvias are members of the mint family which also includes rosemary, thyme, lavender, and basil.
During its summer bloom time, it grows purple flowers with a strong fragrance. Chinese sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza) is also known as red sage, despite its blue and purple flowers. In your garden, white sage is a great pollinator plant and attracts carpenter bees, bumble bees, and hummingbirds. White sage (Salvia apiana) is a shrub with fragrant silver-white leaves that sprouts clusters of white flowers with lavender streaks.
In warmer climates, bright red flowers appear in mid to late fall before the first hard frost. The tubular flowers are deep pink with a dark purple calyx, providing striking contrast in the landscape. Unplugged® Pink (Salvia hybrid) is an annual that blooms from planting until frost. Rockin’® Blue Suede Shoes™ (Salvia hybrid) is a show-stopper with a vivid display of blue flowers. Salvia plants come in a wide range of sizes, growth habits and flower colors.
Planting Salvia
It depends on your climate and how hardy your salvia variety is. Provide a site that gets at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun and has well-draining soil. Salvias combine well with a wide range of shrubs, perennials and annuals.
Selected species and their uses
- The tubular flowers, which have a long bloom time, are a favorite of beneficial insects, butterflies and hummingbirds.
- Even as blooms fade, the deep-blue calyxes remain, keeping the stalks looking vibrant and full.
- In colder climates, it can be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors.
- The flowers are usually tubular with two lips and only two stamens and are borne in terminal inflorescences.
- Varieties 1 to 6 feet tall & wide, with most averaging 2 to 3 feet.
The medium green, hairy leaves are roughly triangular in shape with scalloped edges. A standout selection bred in 1978, ‘Victoria Blue’ (Salvia farinacea ‘Victoria Blue’) is popular for its long-lasting flowers that are great for cutting. A popular annual selected for its eye-catching color, red salvia (Salvia splendens) is easy to grow. Here’s another extra-attractive member of the culinary sage group. The purplish, oblong leaves are intensely aromatic and may be used fresh or dried in cooking.
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Get planting advice, garden design tips and trends, monthly checklists for your area, product specials and more in our weekly newsletter. Get plant information, gardening solutions, design inspiration and more in our weekly newsletter. Generally speaking, salvias do not have a reputation of being invasive.
‘Pineapple’ Sage
Ornamental salvia and culinary garden sage (Salvia officinalis) are in the same genus. Some salvias are perennial in most zones, coming back from year to year. Densely compact plants are versatile in beds, borders and moon gardens.
Is sage easy to grow?
Salvia is a multitasker in the garden. Most sage problems are preventable with proper care. Water thoroughly after repotting to settle the soil. Gently remove the plant, place it at the same depth in the new container, and fill it with fresh mix. Use a well-draining potting mix for sage. In spring, remove the oldest woody stems to encourage new growth.
Salvia Care Guide: Growing and Maintaining Beautiful Sage Plants
Blue salvia is a perennial that grows in a clumping pattern. Diviner’s sage (Salvia divinorum) is rarely grown as an ornamental. Butterflies and hummingbirds are very fond of this species, which has velvety, grayish-green leaves.
Most Salvia species are non-toxic. In colder climates, it can be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors. Sage is a perennial in many areas, returning year after year. Give it plenty of sun and well-draining soil, and you’re off to a great start.
