Other Names:  Perennial Sage, Meadow Clary, Meadow Sage

Brand:  PanAmerican Seed

Description:

An attractive, well branched salvia producing volumes of tall, sturdy stems covered in breathtaking true blue flowers from mid summer to first frost; perfect for borders or beds with its bushy habit; looks fantastic in containers; best in full sun

Ornamental Features

Big Blue Salvia has masses of beautiful spikes of blue flowers with violet overtones and purple calyces rising above the foliage from mid summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its fragrant pointy leaves remain green in colour throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Big Blue Salvia is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Big Blue Salvia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Big Blue Salvia will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 3 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 20 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 16 inches apart. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Big Blue Salvia is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.