Do note that this plant is now illegal in some U.S. states and decriminalized in others. The plant has a long history of ceremonial use by the Mazatec tribes of southern Mexico. Diviner’s sage (Salvia divinorum) is rarely grown as an ornamental.

About Salvia

Salvia is a large genus of plants with more than 1000 species. Depending on the variety, they can bloom from late spring through fall. Wait until new growth emerges in spring to cut back or prune salvias. Site alongside other plants with similar growing needs of full sun and good drainage. Ornamental salvia and culinary garden sage (Salvia officinalis) are in the same genus.

It attracts birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds and it is easy to care for. It is drought-tolerant, making it an easy plant to care for. It is resistant to deer and rabbits and is best grown in pollinator, herb, butterfly, cottage, and edible gardens. Before growing it, always check your state laws.

Deadheading is important to encourage repeat blooming. Most varieties of salvia are drought tolerant once established, but they’ll look better with occasional water. Salvias are especially nice for growing along paths because of the way they spill over and soften the edges. Use them along your home’s foundation or as part of mixed perennial borders. The stems are square and have narrow, velvety green leaves.

Woodland Sage

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. 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. It’s a key ingredient in many container-garden combinations, Thanksgiving stuffings, and even a few desserts.

Some salvias often self-propagate, so you might find seedlings you can use in other parts of your landscape! Many varieties (typically those with light-colored flowers) will also do well in part-shade, but flowering will be reduced. Salvias are heat- and drought-tolerant, making them survivors in the summer garden. Salvia leaves’ distinctive, pungent odor acts as a repellent to garden pests.

• Don’t have the perfect garden spot for sage?
• Remove the lower leaves and trim each cutting just below a node (a node is where a leaf emerges from a stem).
• ‘Summer Jewel Pink’, one of the prettiest salvias, is a smaller plant (20 inches) that blooms with dainty but profuse flowers from late spring to early fall.
• This easy-to-grow salvia from Mexico and southeastern Arizona is drought and deer tolerant.

When does salvia bloom?

However, garden sage has a few attractive ornamental varieties itself. Looking to add a splash of color and a whole lot of buzz to your garden? 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).

East Friesland Salvia

• Its beautiful aroma attracts birds, butterflies, and moths.
• Enjoy vibrant blue flowers all summer with this award-winning plant.
• If you love blue, you’ll love gentian sage (Salvia patens), a tender perennial with two-lipped blue flowers from summer to fall.

Common sage (Salvia officinalis), the familiar culinary herb, is also a member of the Salvia genus. In very hot climates, this plant will appreciate a bit of afternoon shade. These hard workers bloom from June to frost. Salvias are most often perennials but can be annuals as well.

Planting Salvia

Plant this salvia next to ‘Black and Blue’ for a colorful cottage garden look. It presents clusters of raspberry-red flowers all summer and fall. Native to California, giant purple desert sage (Salvia pachyphylla) is rarely grown in gardens, although it deserves to be. Instead of thin spikes, ‘Plumosa’ salvia (Salvia nemorosa ‘Plumosa’) bears large purple plumes from early to late summer. ‘May Night’ salvia and ‘Pomegranate’ yarrow make a fuss-free, long-blooming combination that butterflies adore. Like most salvia plants, it’s left alone by deer and rabbits and is a long-lasting cut flower.

TRY THESE PROVEN WINNERS® VARIETIES

Find the right Salvia for your garden. Sage, a diverse member of the Salvia genus, offers a wealth of options for gardeners and cooks alike. If you don’t deadhead it, ‘Purple Knockout’ may self-seed, acting like a perennial groundcover.

Surprise! These “Native” Plants Are Actually Garden Tourists

In addition to the popular salvia species and their cultivars, there are also hybrid salvias, such as Salvia x sylvestris, commonly known as wood sage. Many gardeners deadhead the spent flowers (or trim them with pruning shears), but they sometimes bloom throughout the summer even without deadheading. Mealycup sage has an even longer bloom period than red salvia, producing flowers from May until frost. A familiar plant, red sage (Salvia spendens), also known simply as red salvia, is technically a tropical perennial, but it’s more commonly grown as an annual. Keep scrolling for popular types of salvia plants to consider for your garden. ‘Perfect Profusion’ (Salvia nemerosa) has soft icy blue flower spikes that begin blooming in late spring, with repeat bloom throughout the summer.

Greek sage (Salvia fruticosa) is an evergreen shrub with fragrant foliage in shades of silver and white. Black and blue sage (Salvia guaranitica) gets its name from its striking blue flowers and black stems. In addition to being easy to grow and care for, blue salvia, also known as pitcher sage, doesn’t have significant issues with insects or disease.

Its unique, deep purple blooms create a rich, velvety display from early summer right through to the first frost of fall. For the adventurous gardener, salvia cuttings can be taken in the spring or early fall. Many species are used as herbs, as ornamental plants (usually for flower interest), and sometimes for their ornamental and aromatic foliage.

Perennials

Rockin’® Deep Purple (Salvia hybrid) brings depth and drama to any garden or landscape. Easy to care for, drought-tolerant, and resistant to deer, it’s a reliable and hassle-free addition to any garden or landscape. It will just bloom, and bloom and bloom all season without stopping.

The blossoms are unusually attractive and profuse, making this salvia plant a favorite for late-season container gardens. Some gardeners grow this salvia plant in containers and overwinter them indoors. The lavender-blue flowers bloom on spikes in June.

This fast-growing, fragrant plant supplies startlingly red flowers in late summer to fall. It bears fuzzy green foliage on a well-branched, upright plant and blooms from summer to fall. In container gardens, it is often used as a filler that provides a mass of flowers and foliage against larger plants. A favorite plant for many gardeners, blue salvia (Salvia farinacea) is an easy perennial to grow. The more than 900 different salvia plants include garden Salvia Information sage (Salvia officinalis), the culinary herb used to flavor and garnish food. Use this guide to find the best salvia plants for growing in your garden.