Native Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: 3-4
Flower:
Fruit:
Size Class: 3-6 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Blue , Purple
Bloom Time: Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CO , CT , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MI , MO , MS , NE , NM , NY , OH , OK , TN , TX , UT , WI
Native Distribution: IL to e. NE, s. AR & TX
Native Habitat: Dry prairies & openings. Dry prairies, oak-cedar hills, flats and openings throughout most of Texas.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Heat Tolerant: yes
Soil Description: Dry, well-drained soils.
Conditions Comments: If grown with too much moisture, fertilizer and/or shade, this plant tends to become floppy. It competes well with grass and can be mowed periodically. Blue sage blooms in the fall. The sky blue flowers are striking when growing near flame acanthus, palafoxia, or Maximillian sunflower. Cut pitcher sage back in early summer to keep it compact or stake it if you want the height.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Hummingbirds and butterflies love this plant.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Attracts: Butterflies , Hummingbirds
Nectar Source: yes
Deer Resistant: Minimal

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Propagation

Description: Blue salvia can be propagated by seed or cuttings, but the easiest method is division of clumps. Cutting should be taken in mid-summer after the plant has hardened. Sow seeds as soon as they ripen or in early spring.
Seed Collection: Collect the seeds as the capsules begin to dry but before they have dropped the seeds. Spread seeds in thin layers to dry a few days before storing in sealed, refrigerated containers.
Seed Treatment: No treatment is required for germination.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0725 Collected Aug 17, 1992 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe

Bibliography

Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, Sally
Bibref 318 - Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Salvia azurea var. grandiflora in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Salvia azurea var. grandiflora in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Salvia azurea var. grandiflora