Woodland Sage

Woodland sage (Salvia nemorosa), also called Balkan clary, is a clump-forming perennial native to Europe and west-central Asia. Its violet-blue flowers appear on dense spikes from June to September, and bees, butterflies and hummingbirds visit them. Flower colors across its range include blue, purple, pink and white.

Cultivars vary in color and size. ‘Caradonna’ has dark purple stems with blue-violet flowers, ‘Pink Profusion’ has very pale pink flowers, and ‘Violet Profusion’ has good resistance to some diseases.

Woodland sage can be grown from seed or by division in spring, and it can also be started from stem cuttings. Plant it where it gets full sun or light partial shade, since it grows in full sun to partial shade.

It does best in moderately fertile, humus-rich soil that stays moist but drains well. It prefers sandy or gravelly soil but tolerates most well-drained soils, even dry ones. Once established, it is drought tolerant. Mature plants reach 1½ to 3 feet (46 to 91 cm) tall and 6 inches to 2 feet (15 to 61 cm) wide. For the best effect, plant it in the front of a border in groups of three or more.

Once the flowering stem has finished blooming and turned brown, cut it down to the basal leaves and new flowers will appear. Removing spent flower spikes can prolong flowering, and the plant can often be encouraged to bloom several times this way.

Mulch in spring.

Woodland sage has no serious problems. It may be susceptible to slugs and snails, and honey fungus is rare but possible. Powdery mildews, verticillium wilt and foot and root rots can also affect it. Some cultivars have shown good resistance to phytophthora and aerial blight. Deer and rabbits seldom damage it.

The flowers are listed as good for cutting.