These reliable perennials will put on a long-lasting show of blooms in your garden.
Salvias are known to put on a spectacular show with hundreds of blooms at a time.
More tenderperennial salviasmay have a spread-out bloom period (and bloom more sparsely overall).
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Where to Plant Perennial Salvia
Salvias grow best in spots with ample sunlight and well-draining soil.
When planting your salvias, allow plenty of room for the plants to grow.
Many varieties become large and start to sprawl.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Some salvia cultivars are considered invasive in parts of the country.
In some climates, these cultivars may be difficult to control or eradicate if left unattended.
Water until the soil is evenly moist.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Salvia plants can be placed in the ground in spring or fall in most zones.
Once they are planted, water thoroughly until the soil is evenly moist.
check that youplant your salvia in well-drained soil.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Anything less than full sun causes the plant to stretch and become floppy.
Soil and Water
Salvias prefer slightly acidic (5.5 to 6.5 pH) well-draining soil.
Once perennial salvias are established, they can withstandlong periods of drought.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
In fact, supplemental watering is typically only necessary on hot summer days after long periods without rain.
Avoid usinggranular fertilizersnear the foliage or crown, as it could injure the plant.
Pruning
Left alone, most perennial salvias will bloom once or twice each growing season.
Credit: Ed Gohlich
If you would like your plant to bloom continuously throughout the season,deadhead the spent blooms.
you’re free to alsocut away woody stemsif they develop.
As cold weather approaches, many varieties fare better if cut to the ground to overwinter.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Powdery mildew androot rotare common, especially in humid climates.
Botrytis can also occur if plants are placed too close together.
Whiledeer and rabbitstend to avoid salvia, aphids, Japanese beetles, and caterpillars are known to visit.
Credit: Stephen Cridland
Potting and Repotting
Salvia is a great thriller for containers kept on sunny patios or porches.
Choose a pot with excellent drainage at least 8 to 10 inches in diameter.
Gently ease the plant from its old pot and place it in the hole of the new pot.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Avoid disturbing the root system as much as possible, as that can lead to transplant shock.
Perennial salvias can also be dug up anddivided to make more plants.
It is hardy in Zones 7-10, though it’s often treated as an annual.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Plants readily self-seed, so once you plant them, you may find them popping up throughout the garden.
They grow up to 2 feet tall and may need staking or pinching to prevent them from falling over.
Clary sage is hardy in Zones 4-9.
Credit: Denny Schrock
Giant Purple Sage
Salvia pachyphyllais exceedingly tough and bears spikes of purple flowers throughout the summer.
It can reach 4 feet tall and is hardy in Zones 5-9.
This shrub-like perennial is hardy in Zones 8-11 and grows well as an annual in colder climates.
Credit: Rob Cardillo
These plants grow 3-4 feet tall and bear spikes with brilliant red blooms beginning in late summer.
It is hardy in Zones 8-11.
Hummingbird Sage
Salvia spathacea, a hummingbird favorite, is aptly named.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
The magenta flowers of this sage attract hundreds of tiny birds over the course of a season.
Plants grow about 1 foot tall and are hardy in Zones 8-10.
You will need to propagate this plant by division as this is a sterile hybrid.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
May night sage is hardy in Zones 5-9.
Great for slopes, it is very drought-tolerant and is hardy in Zones 8-10.
Roseleaf Sage
Salvia involucratais a shrubby Mexican native that develops purple-red flowers from midsummer to fall.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
It grows 5 feet tall and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
Roseleaf sage is hardy in Zones 7-11.
Santa Rosa Island Sage
Salvia brandegeeiis an exceptionally drought-tolerant and long-lived sage.
Credit: Rick Taylor
This plant has a shrublike form and grows 4-6 feet tall.
It has dark green leaves and purple flowers.
It is hardy in Zones 8-10.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Like perennial salvia, it is a sun-loving plant that prefers about 6 hours of exposure a day.
Golden marguerite plants spread quickly, so it is recommended that you divide them every two years or so.
Their sturdy stems and long vase life make them unbeatable for cutting.
Credit: Tom Rosborough
Shasta daisies also thrive in well-drained, not overly rich soil, but taller cultivars may need staking.
And yet they look so delicate, producing glorious trumpet-shaped blooms (some fragrant) in myriad colors.
Depending on the cultivar, the strappy foliage of the daylily may be evergreen or deciduous.
Some cultivars are more naturally compact.
The most common reasons are overwatering or too much fertilizer.
It may also be a good idea to divide your salvia if you havent already done so.
This is best done in the spring when new growth emerges.
Change the water periodically to extend the life of the flowers.
you’re free to also dry the aromatic leaves to use in sachets and potpourri.
Pollinators love perennial sage.
Expect to see it visited by butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds throughout its blooming period.
Most salvia cultivars are not invasive, but there are a few species to watch out for.
Salvia aethiopis, Mediterranean sage.
USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Cooperative Extension.
Clary sage identification and control: Salvia sclarea.
King County, Washington.
Accessed August 2, 2024. https://kingcounty.gov/legacy/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/clary-sage.aspx.
