31 Salvias to Bring Color and Fragrance to Your Garden

Our guide profiles the pretty salvias to grow in gardens .

Salvias ( also called sages ) are a various chemical group of plants that offer coloured flowers , scents , and flavors . Some also have pretty foliage . Most salvia plants are easy to grow , drouth - tolerant , bloom abundantly , and face gorgeous in the landscape painting . expend this guide to find the good salvia plants for growing in your garden .

Types of Salvia Plants

The more than 900 unlike salvia plant admit garden sage(Salvia officinalis ) , the culinary herb used to flavor and garnish food . This plant is aperennial that add up back each yearin areas where it ’s hardy . There are also yearly and biyearly types of salvias , and some are woody shrubs .

Blue Salvia

A favourite plant for many gardener , drab salvia(Salvia farinacea)is an easy perennial to grow . Itflowers profusely all summer , from late spring to frost , and put up periods of drouth . It ’s a great selection for border and containers , plus it ’s native to areas of North America .

Growing Conditions : Full Lord’s Day to part shade and evenly moist , well - drained soil

Size : Up to 3 foot tall

white and purple salvia plants by white picket fence

Credit: Peter Krumhardt

Zones:5–9

‘Black and Blue’ Salvia

A hummingbird magnet , ‘ disastrous and Blue ’ ( Salvia guaranitica‘Black and Blue ’ ) displays spikes of plentiful cobalt - blue flowers that come forth from purple - fatal buds on sinister theme . The foliage has a lightheaded anise perfume . Thisperennial salvia plant is easy to growand will reward you with gorgeous rosiness from summer to fall year after class .

sizing : Up to 5 feet tall

Zones:8–10

blue salvia yellow flowers

Credit: Jason Wilde

Clary Sage

This is not your ordinary salvia . Clary sage(Salvia sclarea)is a little different because its colouring material make out from its leafy bracts that look like big pink , purple , or white flower petal . The bracts on this summer - blossom biennial salvia are long - lasting and dry well , making it agood cut flowerand useful indried - blossom crafts .

grow Conditions : Full sunlight and medium moist , well - run out soil

Culinary Sage

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 . It ’s a cardinal factor in many container - garden combinations , Thanksgiving stuffings , and even a few sweet . Although it ’s a perennial , you ’ll desire to substitute the plants after a few year when the stem become woody and sparse .

Growing Conditions : Full sun and dry out to medium moist , well - drain soil

Size : Up to 2 feet tall

Pink knockout rose and blue salvia plant

Credit: Deb Wiley

Zones:5–8

Purple Sage

While it ’s not quite as tasty or hardy as its silvery - white-haired cousin , purple sage(Salvia leucophylla)offers morecolor in containers , bed , and border . Be sure to plant it where you could walk by and sweep the foliage to turn its herbal , pine - like scent . The purplish , oblong leaves are intensely aromatic and may be used bracing or dried in cooking . It bloom in spring .

Zones:6–9

Variegated Sage

Here ’s another spare - attractive fellow member of the culinary salvia group . Variegated salvia ( Salvia officinalis‘Icterina ’ ) features grey-haired - green leaves irregularly butt on in yellowish green . It produces purplish - risque blossom on ear in late spring . Whether yougrow it for its flavoror ornamental look , it can easily be included with other perennials in margin orrock gardens .

Zones:4–8

‘Tricolor’ Sage

Grown primarily for its foliation , tricolor salvia ( Salvia officinalis‘Tricolor ’ ) mix the well feature of other sage . It displays silvery - gullible leaves edge in creamy whiteness and blushed with purpleness . In addition to its great ornamental qualities , it can be used reinvigorated or dried in cooking as a seasoner . It ’s an fantabulous salvia plant for grow as an yearly in containers , specially in northerly expanse . It blossom in early springtime .

Size : Up to 18 inches tall

Red Salvia

A popular annual selected for its middle - catching color , violent salvia(Salvia splendens)is sluttish to grow . Like most other salvia , it extend scented foliage , so deer and rabbits usually leave it alone . Commonly address cherry sage , this plant flowers all summertime long and is great for container .

Zones:10–11

‘Victoria Blue’ Salvia

A standout choice bred in 1978 , ‘ Victoria Blue ’ ( Salvia farinacea‘Victoria Blue ’ ) is democratic for its long - lasting flower that are cracking for cut . This salvia plant tolerates fond spectre better than most varieties . It willattract butterflies to your gardenfrom spring to fall .

rise status : Full sun to part spectre and modal , evenly moist , well - debilitate soil

‘Cirrus’ Salvia

‘ Cirrus ’ ( Salvia farinacea‘Cirrus ’ ) is a delightful salvia flora deport spike of pure - white flowers from spring to fall . Like other forms of blue salvia , it shines with silvern foliage and adapts to unlike dirt types . It ’s a adept selection for cut and make a beautiful accent mark when planted with cryptical blue flowers .

Size : Up to 20 inch tall

‘Evolution’ Salvia

‘ development ’ ( Salvia farinacea‘Evolution ’ ) won an All - America Selections award for its hatful ofdeep violet - purple flowersthat come out from former summertime into fall . It ’s more compact than many other types of blue salvia and produces more flower spikes . Expand yourgarden ’s color combinationswith this plant ; its peak are several tad lighter than other blue salvias .

grow Conditions : Full sunlight and well - drained soil

size of it : Up to 16 inches tall

‘Black and Blue’ Salvia plants against soft green leafy background

Credit: Peter Krumhardt

‘Mystic Spires Blue’ Salvia

One of the most heat- and drought - kind annual salvias , ‘ Mystic Spires ’ ( Salvia longispicataxfarinacea‘Mystic Spires Blue ’ ) offer tall spikes of gloomy bloom throughout the summer . It ’s an excellentplant for appeal butterfly . Contrast this variety ’s productive blue flowers and upright drug abuse with a silverish skirt of trailinglicorice works .

Zones:7–10

‘Lady in Red’ Salvia

An All - America Selections award victor , ‘ Lady in Red ’ ( Salvia coccinea‘Lady in Red ’ ) presents vibrant red spikes of flowers all summer . The intermediate unripened , hairy leave are around triangular in soma with scallop boundary . adore by butterfly stroke and hummingbirds , gardeners eff this salvia for its humiliated forethought requirement and brilliant efflorescence . In container gardens , it is often used as a makeweight that put up a mass of flowers and leafage against large works .

Zones:8–11

‘Coral Nymph’ Salvia

Long - blooming ‘ Coral Nymph ’ ( Salvia coccinea‘Coral Nymph ’ ) is cover up in spike heel of coral - pink flowers from former summertime to frost . aboriginal to region of South America , it holds up to hot , humid stipulation well , although it ’s not as drought - tolerant as many other salvia . It ’s a top pick forattracting butterfly stroke and hummingbirds .

Growing condition : Full Dominicus and median , well - drain soil

Gentian Sage

If you love blue , you ’ll love gentian sage(Salvia patens ) , a tender perennial with two - lipped gamy flowers from summertime to fall . Butterflies and hummingbird sleep with the 2 - inch - recollective flowers with the brightest royalblue bloomsin the plant world . Get double the true - disconsolate upshot by growing gentian sage withleadwort .

originate Conditions : Full Lord’s Day to part shadowiness and moist , well - drain soil

‘Blue Angel’ Sage

With its vividly blue flush , ‘ gloomy Angel ’ ( Salvia patens‘Blue Angel ’ ) is a garden showstopper that may garner more attention from garden client than the scores of hummingbirds and butterflies it pull . It bears fuzzy fleeceable foliage on a well - ramify , erect industrial plant and flush from summer to fall . produce an easy - growing but delicate - looking combo with ‘ Blue Angel ’ salvia and ‘ Diamond Frost’euphorbia .

Growing Conditions : Full Dominicus to partial wraith and average well - drained soil

Size : Up to 28 inches tall

Clary Sage Salvia viridis purple flowers

Credit: John Sylvester

Mexican Bush Sage

Grown as an yearly in dusty - wintertime clime to give garden a fall coda , Mexican bush sage(Salvia leucantha)is a shrubby works with velvet - like leaf and dense spikes of lavender - blue flowers . This stunner bloom from late summer to other capitulation . hoary - green parting that are up to 4 column inch long are couple on this plant ’s solid shank .

develop Conditions : Full sunshine and evenly moist , well - drained filth

‘Pineapple’ Sage

Rub one of a pineapple plant salvia ’s leaves , and you ’ll be honour with a fresh , fruity odour . This fast - rise , fragrant plantsupplies startlingly red efflorescence in late summer to fall . Grown as an annual in cool - season climates , pineapple plant sage(Salvia elegans‘Pineapple ’ ) is a perennial in quick - winter regions where it blooms from winter to saltation .

size of it : Up to 4 metrical unit improbable

‘Golden Delicious’ Sage

This sage bears all the heavy property of its sister pineapple salvia plant but notch up the impact with its shiny golden - chartreuse foliage . Noted for its pineapple olfactory property , ‘ Golden Delicious ’ ( Salvia elegans‘Golden Delicious ’ ) have soft , hairy , light special K result up to 3 inches long on square stems . hummingbird and butterflieslove this plant ’s two - lipped burnished crimson flowers that appear in stunning contrast to its yellow leaves in nightfall .

Silver Sage

judge something entirely different with silver sage(Salvia argentea ) , grow for its stunning hazy foliage . This biennial has adorable leaves the first year and then blooms withclusters of bloodless flowersin summer the 2nd year . It ’s so adorable , many gardeners bring down off the flowers to keep the direction on the foliation . Make a bold impression by found silver salvia withcardoon , which also present centre - catch silvery leaves .

Growing experimental condition : Full sun and intermediate , ironic to medium , well - run out soil

‘May Night’ Salvia

An award - get ahead selection , ‘ May Night ’ salvia ( Salviaxsylvestris‘May Night ’ ) offers spike of mysterious gloomy - purplish peak in spring and early summertime . Ifdeadheaded , it reblooms . leaf of this mint family line member are aromatic , wrinkled , soft , and muzzy . Like most salvia plant , it ’s provide alone by cervid and hare and is along - lasting cut flower . ‘ May Night ’ salvia and ‘ Pomegranate’yarrowmake a pother - loose , long - blooming compounding that butterflies adore .

‘East Friesland’ Salvia

A favorite for its long bloom of youth time of year , East Friesland salvia ( Salvia nemorosa‘East Friesland ’ ) is a mound - mould plant with spike of violet - purple flower in summer and gloam . The notch , ruckle , medium - green to grey-headed - green leaves are aromatic when bruised . Grow ‘ East Friesland ’ with ‘ Moonbeam ’ coreopsis for a classic blue sky and yellowflower garden .

‘Plumosa’ Salvia

rather of thin spikes , ‘ Plumosa ’ salvia ( Salvia nemorosa‘Plumosa ’ ) have large regal plumes from early to late summer . This compact selection is utter for the middle of a flower border . For add contrast , plant this salvia with the daisy - shaped flowers of ‘ Pixie Meadowbrite’purple coneflower .

‘Hot Lips’ Salvia

An eye - catcher for the sunny garden , ‘ Hot Lips ’ salvia ( Salvia microphylla‘Hot Lips ’ ) feature spikes of white flowers in summer . Each bloom is denounce with a buss - shaped red marking . A fast - grow selection , ‘ Hot Lips ’ looks majuscule in bottom , borders , and container . Plant it withlavenderto revel in a wonderful soft scent and sheer , bright colors .

turn condition : Full sunlight to part subtlety and average moist to middling dry soil

Size : Up to 30 inches marvelous

Culinary Sage Sage Salvia officinalis green leaves

Credit: Marty Baldwin

Giant Purple Desert Sage

Native to California , gargantuan violet desert sage(Salvia pachyphylla)is rarely turn in garden , although it deserves to be . It ’s marvelously heat- and drouth - patient of , bearing bunch of lilac - regal flower all summertime over evergreen silvern foliage . Plant delicate whitegauranext to this salvia to add together a refined grain .

‘Raspberry Delight’ Salvia

One of the longest - flower salvia plants is ‘ Raspberry Delight ’ ( Salviagreggii‘Raspberry Delight ’ ) . It presents bunch of raspberry - flushed flowers all summer and fall . Like most salvias , it does n’t want much water and thrive in a sunny smear . Deer and hare leave it alone , but you ’ll seldom see it without a visit from a bee , butterfly stroke , or hummingbird . The redolent foliage has a sweet herbal perfume .

Growing Conditions : Full sun and average , wry to intermediate moist , well - drain soil

Prairie Salvia

Hailing from the prairie of North America , this salvia is an end - of - the - season peach that produces tall spike of endearing 2 - lipped , sky - drab blossom in late summer . Prairie salvia(Salvia azurea)is great for rationalize and a wonderful accent to mums , kale , andasters . In addition , aristocratical salvia is a perfect planting pardner for purple - leafed shrubs like ‘ Summer Wine’ninebark .

‘Wendy’s Wish’ Salvia

Discovered in Australia , ‘ Wendy ’s Wish ’ ( Salvia‘Wendy ’s Wish ’ ) show off vivid pink - over-embellished efflorescence from late springiness to other drop . It has a compact use and is a wonderful cut flower . This hybrid is one of the greatsalvias for shade . Plant this salvia next to ‘ contraband and Blue ’ for acolorful bungalow garden look .

grow circumstance : Full sun and evenly moist to dry , well - drained grime

Zones:9–11

Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’ green and reddish leaves

Credit: Marty Baldwin

Yugoslavian Cut Leaf Sage

The low - growing salvia plant , Yugoslavian snub leaf sage(Salvia jurisicii ) , is everlasting for the front of the repeated border thanks to its fine - textured , feathery foliation and late - spring display of lavender - low flower . In specially red-hot , ironic arena , it may go dormant for the summer unless you keep it well - watered . Add bright summertime - retentive color by growing this sage with ‘ Oranges and Lemons’gaillardia .

Purple Knockout Sage

One of the few salvia grown for its leaf instead of its flowers , ‘ Purple Knockout ’ ( Salvia lyrata‘Purple Knockout ’ ) presents a downcast mound of deep empurpled leave . It blooms , but the ashen summer flowers are n’t particularly pregnant , although they do attract bee and butterfly stroke . If you do n’t deadhead it , ‘ Purple Knockout ’ may self - seed , acting like a perennial ground cover . To add up more colour to your garden , contrast this sage ’s burgundy leafage with variegated ‘ Tequila Sunrise’coreopsis .

Growing Conditions : Full sun to part shade and well - debilitate soil

Zones:4–9

Salvia officinalis ‘Icterina’ green leaves with yellow edges

Credit: Susan A. Roth

Typically found on ironical hillside and in gravelly soil , imperial sage(Salvia leucophylla)is rugged , easy to originate , and beautiful . In spring to former summertime , its highly aromatic lavender - purple flowers sit down atop profuse grey - green leafage and are attractive to bee , butterflies , and birds . Extremely drouth - tolerant , purplish salvia makes a adorable fluent foliage accent innative plant garden .

grow Conditions : Full sun and dry to average , well - drain soil

Frequently Asked Questions

No , salvias are considered non - toxic to humans and animate being . There are even edible versions used in seasonings . However , dearie could still get sick if they consume enough leaf , so debar letting them eat up this plant from your garden .

Most salvias are not considered invasive . However , some varieties are invasive in certain regions , such as Salvia sclarea and Salvia aethiopis in Washington state of matter .

deficiency of sunshine could cause salvias to delay inflorescence while too much sunshine could cause sunburn . Improper pruning , unconventional dirt consideration , overwatering , or under - tearing could also be the reason why your salvia plants are n’t able to expand .

Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’ green leaves with orange flowers