Salvia azurea

Common Names

Pitcher Sage, Big Blue Sage, Azure Sage, Giant Blue Sage, Blue Sage

Summary

Azure Blue Sage (Salvia azurea) is a tall clump-forming herbaceous perennial in the mint family native to prairies and open woodlands of the United States, with slender square stems, gray-green aromatic leaves, and spikes of azure-blue, two-lipped flowers that bloom from midsummer to fall, reaching about 3–5 ft tall and 2–4 ft wide, and attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, prefers full sun and well-drained soils, tolerates drought once established, and performs best in dry to medium-dry conditions, may lodge or flop in richer soils unless supported by neighboring grasses, propagation by seed or division, hardy in USDA zones 5a–9b, commonly used in prairie plantings, borders, wildflower meadows, and wildlife-friendly landscapes because of its pollinator value and deer resistance

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

36-60 inches

Spread

18-24 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun, tolerates Partial Sun and Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained, non-clay soil, preferably sandy or gravelly

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil.

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Blue

Bloom Time

Summer to Fall

Foliage Color

Gray-green

Fall Foliage Color

Green, Gray-green

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Slow growth.

Seasons of Interest

Summer and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, other pollinators