SIRIUS BLUE SALVIA Salvia Farinacea

Characteristics • Type: Perennial • Water: Medium • Zones: 7 - 10 • Maintenance: Low • Height: 12 - 18 inches • Soil Type: Well-drained • Spread: 12 - 18 inches • Attracts: Butterflies, Hummingbirds • Bloom Season: March to Frost • Tolerates: Deer, Drought, Dry Soil • Bloom Color: Blue • Texas Native • Sun: Full sun to partial shade Culture

These stunning blue flower spikes will welcome hummingbirds, honeybees and butterflies to your garden. This selection produces an extra heavy crop of blooms! Native Perennial from Mexico to Texas, Sirius Blue is drought tolerant and will thrive in rocky soil. This compact plant will only reach 12-16 inches in height, making it a great choice for the border. Grow in light, moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun to light dappled shade. Small species with densely hairy or woolly leaves need sharp drainage and full sun. Protect these and frost-hardy species from excessive winter wet, and shelter from cold, drying winds.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Salvia farinacea is perfect for the perennial border or the wild flower meadow. It is easily grown from seeds, and it will attract butterflies and hummingbirds like a magnet! The plant grows in a mound-shape with sprawling stems. It has a sage-like aromatic fragrance. All Salvia wildflower seed species benefit from being started indoors, but they grow fairly reliably if sown outdoors in warm soil where summers are hot. Sow wildflower seeds outdoors in spring after frost danger has passed and prepare soil by weeding it and loosening it. Lightly rake Salvia Farinacea seeds into the soil and keep the seeds and young seedlings moist until well-established. Give them plenty of water in dry weather. In Texas where temperatures can be extreme, this type of Salvia may need light to moderate shade instead of full sun. Blue Sage will do best in areas that have moderate humidity. After an extended period of flowering, trim the Salvia Farinacea plant back to produce a thicker and more compact foliage and a shorter flowering plant. The trim will delay flowering for a few days, but it is important in preventing leggy plants, and the blooms will come back heavily.

Problems

No serious insect or disease problems. Susceptible to downy and powdery mildew.

Garden Uses

Plant sirius blue salvia in a mass grouping for a dramatic display of blue for any sunny landscape setting. It is especially nice in cottage gardens, rock gardens or wild flower gardens. .