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Salvia, Blue

Annual Flower

Also known as Mealy cup Sage, Texas Mealy cup Sage
Salvia farinacea
Lamiaceae Family

At home in the herb or annual garden, the silvery purple flowers of this fragrant plant are borne on tall, erect spikes. Blooms well into the fall.

	Site and Plant Characteristics
	Growing Information
	Varieties

Site Characteristics

Sunlight:

full sun
part shade

Soil conditions:

requires well-drained soil

Prefers moist but well-drained soil.

Plant Traits

Lifecycle: annual

Ease-of-care: easy

Height: 1.5 to 3 feet

Plants are about 2� tall, but may reach 3� when flowering.

Spread: 0.75 to 1.25 feet

Bloom time:

early summer
mid-summer
late summer
early fall
mid-fall

Flower color:

blue
violet
white

Blooms of white flowered-varieties are silvery.

Foliage color:

medium green
gray-green

Shape: upright

Shape in flower: flower stalks with upright spikes

Flowers are small and arranged on tall, upright flower spikes.

Special Considerations

Tolerates:

frost

Special characteristics:

deer resistant
non-aggressive - Self-seeds some, but is rarely a problem.
non-invasive
native to North America - Southwestern North America
fragrant - Foliage has a light, pleasant fragrance.

Special uses:

Growing Information

How to plant:

Propagate by seed - Sow seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost. Do not cover the seeds, as they need light to germinate.

Germination temperature: 65 F to 70 F

Days to emergence: 14

Maintenance and care:

Deadhead to encourage more blooming and to prevent self-sowing.
More growing information: How to Grow Annuals

Varieties

�Blue Bedder�: 32" tall plants with deep blue-purple flowers on tall spikes. Excellent for cut flowers and background plantings.
�Strata�: 1 to 1.5� tall plants with deep blue flowers from silvery white calyx. Compact and dense.
�Victoria� series: 1.5� tall plants with tall, slender spikes of deep purple blue or silvery white flowers. A reliable bloomer that flowers all summer.
�Mini Victoria�: 1� tall dwarf plant with slender spikes of deep purple blue flowers.
�Silvery White�: 1.5� tall plants with tall spikes of silvery white flowers.