(For Fall turf renovations see Friday's blog!)
Salvia azurea
Conservation Specialist
copyright 2010
Missouri native Salvia azurea is also known as Azure Blue Sage or Pitcher sage. He is an easy to grow perennial for a sunny location with average soil.
In the wild he can stretch up to 4-5’’, but with a little well timed grooming he is a stout, 2 ½’ -3’ tall profuse fall bloomer with wonderful manners!
Our Native Azure Blue Sage is a striking plant occurring naturally on limestone glades, rocky prairies, and prairie openings. He prefers slightly moist, gravelly or sandy soils with good drainage-never soggy feet!
His whorls of 2-lipped blossoms are densely dispersed along the uppermost portion of his multiple stems. This creates an equal opportunity for every crystal blue flower to be seen and appreciated!
Care Factor Rating: 3 Care for this sage is similar to mum and aster care. Once his growth is active and about 10-12” tall (usually late spring), trim his new growth back to about 6”tall.
"Tip trim” the new shoots a second time late June / first week of July (2-3”off each branch is enough!) This promotes lateral branching, heavier flowering and wonderful compact growth! (this will also delay flowering slightly)
Trim this sage lightly after flowering to redirect the energy from producing seeds to stimulating more root growth!
With gentle pre-bloom pruning, he tends to bloom late in the summer well into fall. He tolerates drought but blooms longest when not overly drought stressed. Remove spent flower spikes to help extend the bloom period.
Warning: Do not remove the last year’s shrubby stems till new growth is clearly evident (early to mid-spring). Also do not cut back any re-growth or any new stems any closer than 3-4” above ground at this first pruning!
Side Note: We also discussed another favorite blue flowering fall bloomer Caryopteris-also known as Blue mist spirea or bluebeard. There are many cultivars on the market. A tried and true is Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Longwood Blue' - other new ones have been introduced are are probably equally wonderful and always a pollinator's freind!
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