Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'

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anise-scented sage 'Black and Blue'

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anise-scented sage 'Black and Blue' RHS
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anise-scented sage 'Black and Blue' RHS

Synonyms

Salvia caerulea misapplied

Plants for pollinators
Conservatory Greenhouse Herbaceous Perennial
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A tall perennial with a running rootstock, forming a wide clump of stems bearing ovate leaves and loose spikes of dark blue flowers 4cm long, each set in black calyx, and opening in late summer and autumn

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
1-1.5 metres
Max Height
1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H3

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Lamiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus
Salvia can be annuals, biennials, herbaceous or evergreen perennials, or shrubs. They have paired, simple or pinnately lobed, often aromatic leaves and 2-lipped flowers in whorls, forming simple or branched spikes or racemes
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Best grown in full sun, in well-drained soil with shelter from cold winds. Maintain low humidity for plants overwintered indoors in a greenhouse. Under glass grow in well-drained , peat-free potting compost in full light with shade from hot sun. See our video How to care for tender salvia for more advice

Propagation

Propagate by division of established clumps. Take softwood and semi-ripe stem-tip cuttings from new non-flowering growth. Take basal stem cuttings from new shoots that are about 8cm (3in) tall

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Patio and container plants
  • Wildlife gardens
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Bedding
  • Conservatory and greenhouse

Pruning

Cut back spent flower spikes to prolong flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to capsid bugs and leafhoppers and slugs and snails on young growth. Under glass aphids, glasshouse red spider mite and glasshouse whitefly may be a problem

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), powdery mildews, verticillium wilt and foot and root rots