Salvia chamaedryoides

In need of some sage advice? Plant this salvia! Native to the higher elevations of Mexico, this is a blue-tiful salvia with intense, electric blue flowers. Salvia chamaedryoides holds its blooms above delicate, silvery grey-green, fragrant foliage & reaches 1 - 2 feet high, spreading over time to make clumps 3 - 4 feet wide. The stems & leaves are covered with a very fine fuzz, which helps to protect them in hot & dry climates. Very heat & drought tolerant, it requires sharp drainage to thrive, & needs only occasional deep watering once established. Avoid overly wet or water-logged soils, & compost or fertilize in early spring for the best blooms. This salvia flowers nearly year-round in mild climates, only taking a short break during the coldest months. Deadheading encourages more blooms, & it can be cut back hard once a year to refresh. Hummingbirds & butterflies love it as much as we do, but deer do not! In colder areas, protect the roots with a layer of mulch in winter & prune in early spring.

The spreading silver-gray foliage gives this sage almost as much presence as the flowers, especially along a sunny path or spilling from a large container. Its electric-blue color is the real prize: unusually clear, intense, and easy to admire against pale gravel, warm stone, apricot flowers, or other dry-garden foliage.

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