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Blue Sage

from $5.00

(Salvia azurea)

Loved by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. 

By late summer, when much of the garden begins to soften, Blue Sage (Salvia azurea) comes into its own — lifting airy spires of clear, sky-blue flowers that seem to catch the light and hold it a little longer. It’s an easygoing native, with slender stems that sway gently above the surrounding planting. Like many salvias, its foliage carries a subtle herbal scent that deer and rabbits tend to avoid, making it as resilient as it is beautiful. But what really sets it apart is its ecological value. Blue Sage is a vital late-season nectar source, drawing in bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and offering crucial fuel for migrating monarchs as they prepare for their long journey south. There’s a sense, standing near it in bloom, that the garden is still very much alive — humming, moving, and gathering strength for what comes next. 

(Note: Now accepting orders for Fall — shipping begins Sept 1 . For local customers, plants available now-Sept 30 for local pick-up. Seeds ship year-round.)

Size:

(Salvia azurea)

Loved by bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. 

By late summer, when much of the garden begins to soften, Blue Sage (Salvia azurea) comes into its own — lifting airy spires of clear, sky-blue flowers that seem to catch the light and hold it a little longer. It’s an easygoing native, with slender stems that sway gently above the surrounding planting. Like many salvias, its foliage carries a subtle herbal scent that deer and rabbits tend to avoid, making it as resilient as it is beautiful. But what really sets it apart is its ecological value. Blue Sage is a vital late-season nectar source, drawing in bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and offering crucial fuel for migrating monarchs as they prepare for their long journey south. There’s a sense, standing near it in bloom, that the garden is still very much alive — humming, moving, and gathering strength for what comes next. 

(Note: Now accepting orders for Fall — shipping begins Sept 1 . For local customers, plants available now-Sept 30 for local pick-up. Seeds ship year-round.)

PLANT FACTS:

Seed per packet: 40
Lifecycle: Perennial
Germination code: A
Needs cold stratification: No
Bloom time: August, September, October
Bloom color: Blue
Light: Full sun - partial sun
Soil moisture:  Medium-dry to dry
Soil texture: Sand, loam, clay
Soil pH: Slightly acidic to moderately alkaline
Height: 5’
Plant Spacing: 18-24”
USDA zones: 4-9
Deer resistance: High

WILDLIFE BENEFITED

• Attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds
• Special value to native bees
• Important food source for migrating butterflies
• Host plant for the Hermit Sphinx moth 

PAIRS WELL WITH:

Blue Sage looks wonderful planted in drifts in a cottage garden or woven through a meadow. It’s considered a back of the border plant because it grows very tall. Some good native plant companions include: Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Blazing Star (Liatris spicata), Bluestem Goldenrod (Solidago caesia) and ornamental grasses like Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). 

GOOD TO KNOW…

  • Blue Sage is one of the easier natives to grow from seed, with consistently strong germination success.

    Germination code: A
    Days to germination: 7-21 days
    Days to maturity: 100 days

    Indoors: Sow the seeds 8-10 weeks before the last frost. Sprinkle seeds on the surface and press lightly; they need light to germinate. Mist to keep soil moist but not wet, cover loosely with plastic to retain humidity until sprouts develop and provide warmth (70-75°F) for germination. Expect sprouts in 7-21 days. When sprouts develop, remove plastic and bottom water 1-2x per week. Once seedlings have true leaves, transplant outdoors after the last frost, spacing 18-24" apart. 

    Outdoors: Sow seeds in late fall or early spring by surface-sowing onto moist, well-draining soil, covering them with only a 1/8-inch layer of soil or sand. Seeds require light to germinate. Thin seedlings to 18–24 inches apart. This native plant does not need cold stratification in order to germinate.

    Note: The Wild Patch is not responsible for buyer germination success. Liability of seller is limited to the cost of the item(s).

  • Many native plant seeds won’t sprout right away — they need certain conditions, like cold, warmth, or moisture, to break dormancy (their “sleeping” state). Germination codes are short labels (like A, B, C, etc.) that tell you what a seed needs to wake up and grow. For Blue Sage, a germination code "A" means that the seeds do not require a period of cold, moist stratification to break dormancy. 

  • It sounds harder than it is. There are two easy ways to cold stratify your seeds: 

    Method 1: Direct sow the seeds outdoors in late fall or early winter. The natural cycles of freezing and thawing will provide the necessary cold, moist stratification the seeds need and the seeds will germinate the following spring.

    Method 2: This method mimics a natural cold cycle. Just place the seeds in a plastic ziplock bag in between a damp coffee filter or with a small amount of moistened peat moss or sand. Store the bag in the refrigerator for 30+ days. Then remove and sow the seeds.