Get to Know: Salvia
Get to Know: Salvia

A landscape standard, salvia is known for its easy care, long-lasting flowers, and tolerance of hot and dry conditions. Most varieties attract pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, and are resistant to pests and deer. There’s a diverse selection of salvia varieties, including both annuals and perennials. Here’s a selection from some top-performing salvia species.

Get to Know: Salvia

A landscape standard, salvia is known for its easy care, long-lasting flowers, and tolerance of hot and dry conditions. Most varieties attract pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, and are resistant to pests and deer. There’s a diverse selection of salvia varieties, including both annuals and perennials. Here’s a selection from some top-performing salvia species.

Get to Know: Salvia

A landscape standard, salvia is known for its easy care, long-lasting flowers, and tolerance of hot and dry conditions. Most varieties attract pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, and are resistant to pests and deer. There’s a diverse selection of salvia varieties, including both annuals and perennials. Here’s a selection from some top-performing salvia species.

Salvia nemorosa

A real work-horse in the perennial landscape from the North to the South, with hardiness to zone 4a – 9b. This dry-tolerant perennial salvia features upright flower spikes in shades of blue, pink and white. Lyrical Salvia’s blooms last longer due to darkened flower-scapes that persist longer than other varieties. Bloom time in the North is from early June to mid-July, with some re-bloom in the fall. Lyrical Salvia nemorosa is most effective when massed.

Lyrical Blues Salvia
Lyrical Blues Salvia
Lyrical Blues Salvia Production, Michigan
Lyrical White Salvia
Mixed Container Lyrical Silvertone Salvia, Mesa Gaillardia

Lyrical Salvia

Lyrical Salvia produces upright flowers that first appear in early Spring. It stays in flower longer than any other Salvia nemorosa. Silvertone is the first bicolor Salvia, featuring blue blooms with silver edges.

Height: 22 to 24 in. (56 to 61 cm)
Spread: 22 to 24 in. (56 to 61 cm)
Exposure: Sun
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4a to 9b

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Salvia greggii

Salvia greggii is an absolute hummingbird magnet. Hummingbirds will seek out this salvia from miles away! The Mirage series is a perennial in the South and treated as an annual in the North.  In the South, the plant will develop a woody base and form a dwarf, evergreen shrub. Produces bright flowers from early Summer to frost.

Mirage Series Salvia

The heat-tolerant Mirage series salvia has a
unique range of colors, including purples, reds, pinks and yellow.

Height: 12 to 14 in. (30 to 36 cm)
Spread: 14 to 16 in. (36 to 41 cm)
Exposure: Sun
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7a to 9b

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Mirage Hot Pink Salvia
Salvia is great for attracting hummingbirds
Mirage Deep Purple, Pink and Cream Salvia
Mirage Cherry Red Salvia

Salvia interspecific

Sun-loving annual Interspecific salvias are typically a hybrid of hardy species. They are known for abundant blooms and longer flowering windows. A cross between Salvia longispicata and S. farinacea (Salvia farinacea, also known as Mealy Cup Sage) has much better landscape performance than many other salvia species. The hybrid nature of the cross brings the best of heat tolerance, hardiness in the landscape, and colors that persist late in the Summer.

Mystic Spires Improved Salvia
Mystic Spires Salvia, Durango Yellow Marigold, Persian Shield Strobilanthus, Madness Rose Morn Petunia
Mystic Spires Salvia, Sunspun Blue Petunia, CanCan Apricot Calibrachoa, FlameThrower Habanero Coleus

Mystic Spires Improved Salvia

Mystic Spires Improved Salvia features such large, bright, long-lasting blooms that some people call it a “Salvia farinacea…on steroids!”

Height: 18 to 24 in. (46 to 61 cm)
Spread: 12 to 18 in. (30 to 46 cm)
Exposure: Sun
Form: Vegetative

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Salvia Comparison  R: Mystic Spires Improved Salvia; L: Mysty Salvia
Mysty Salvia (L) Mystic Spires Improved Salvia
Mysty Salvia, EnduraScape Red Verbena, Lava Rose Coleus

Mysty Salvia

Mysty Salvia has the same vigorous plant habit of Mystic Spires with shorter flower stems. Covered with true blue flowers from late Spring through Summer, it’s great for front to mid-border plantings. The perfect height blue spike plant for those entryway sign beds!

Height: 12 to 18 in. (30 to 46 cm)
Spread: 12 to 18 in. (30 to 46 cm)
Exposure: Sun
Form: Vegetative

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Big Blue Salvia
Big Blue Salvia
Purple Majesty Millet, Big Blue Salvia, Taishan® African Marigold

Big Blue Salvia

Sneak peek! Big Blue is a supersized interspecific seed version of these landscape-hardy salvias.  As the name implies, this is best used in the back of border plantings. Give it plenty of space to spread out as it will easily grow to 4 feet! Big Blue will be available in 2019.

Height: 24 to 36 in. (61 to 91 cm)
Spread: 18 to 20 in. (46 to 51 cm)
Exposure: Sun
Form: Seed

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Salvia guaranitica

Bee, butterfly, and pollinator magnet. Period.

Black & Bloom Salvia

A tough, beautiful annual! The deep blue color against a black stem stands out in landscapes and containers, attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. Vibrant flowers are long-lasting, blooming all Summer and into Fall. Tolerates heat and cold. None better than Black & Bloom for this feature alone. Super tough, this heat lover offers an unusual color combination for beds, borders or mixed containers.

Height: 36 to 48 in. (91 to 122 cm)
Spread: 36 to 48 in. (91 to 122 cm)
Exposure: Sun

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Black & Bloom Salvia
Black & Bloom Salvia
Black & Bloom Salvia, French Quarter Coleus, Lucky Red

Salvia splendens

This annual salvia has long been a garden standard, reliably blooming over an extended period. Best known for its vibrant red color, newer varieties have been developed in a wide range of colors.

Vista Red Salvia
Vista Rose and Vista White Salvia
Vista Red Salvia
Vista Series Salvia

Vista Series Salvia 

Vibrant blooms deliver intense color that won’t fade. Heat-tolerant Vista Red is the best upright dark red spiky flower for the landscape! Occasional deadheading will promote continued flowering.

Height: 10 to 12 in. (25 to 30 cm)
Spread: 8 in. (20 cm)
Exposure: Sun

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Salvia patens

Commonly known as Gentian Sage, Salvia patens is an elegant, upright tender perennial with deep, pure blue flowers.

Patio Series Salvia

Patio produces unusual, shrimp-shaped flowers in beautiful shades of blue for containers, borders and beds. It thrives in hot and dry conditions. Patio can be grown in the South as a first-year-flowering perennial, or used as an annual in the North.

Height: 12 to 14 in. (30 to 36 cm)
Spread: 8 to 12 in. (20 to 30 cm)
Exposure: Sun
USDA Hardiness Zones: 8a to 10b

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Patio Sky Blue Salvia
Patio Deep Blue