UD Botanic Gardens Annual Spring Benefit Plant Sale 2025
By Andrew Adams, UDBG Horticulture Manager
Within the family Lamiaceae, commonly known as the mint family, you will find the genus Salvia, and its associated 900+ species, the common name for this genus is sage. In our area, Salvias can be annuals, biennials, perennials and even some shrubby forms! First described by (surprise, surprise) a Roman, Pliny the Elder, in roughly 50AD, Salvia is derived from the Latin term “salvo” meaning healthy or safe, referring to its previous use as a medicinal herb. Gardener or not, you have probably interacted with these plants before, mainly in cooking! Both the herbs sage and rosemary, common ingredients in the culinary world, are members of the Salvia club.
This genus is primarily native to three regions of the world. Those that have traveled to South America, the Mediterranean, and Eastern Asia have probably run into some species of Salvia in their native habitat. Salvia has served many purposes throughout history including culinary, medicinal, and ornamental purposes. And for those naughty folks out there, hallucinogenic purposes.
Some key characteristics in identifying this genus are as follows: stems are always square; a characteristic shared with all other members of the Lamiaceae family. The foliage is typically entire but sometimes appears toothed or pinnately divided. Most of these species will be pubescent to some degree, and many species share flowers of similar shape. From a side profile, the flowers are produced in racemes or panicles, and because of the petals being “two-lipped”, you get an appearance of a lobster or crab claw from a side profile.
Many pollinators flock to these flowers, and because of their specific shape, they have become a favorite for our native pollinators and hummingbirds. Between varying species, cultivars, and hybrids, flowers of Salvia can fit most any design, and run the full gambit of blues, pinks, purples and whites in addition to reds, yellows, oranges.
In Mid-Atlantic gardens, you will typically see S. nemorosa and its associated cultivars, or hybrids containing parentage of that species. While that is not the only perennial species you will find, it is by far the most common. If you jump into the world of annuals, the amount of species and hybrids grows immensely and includes all shapes and sizes to fill pots, or run in your annuals edges!
A few favorites are S. nemorosa ‘Caradonna’, a tried-and-true performer with ultra purple flowers that bloom at the end of May. Then there is Salvia koyomae, a relatively underused species that lends a coarse texture and amazing yellow flowers to a shady area. One last underused and underappreciated species is Salvia uliginosa, with its true bright blue flower color (not botanic blue which actually just turns out to be purple most of the time). Despite the common name of Bog Sage, this plant grows well in average garden soil in addition to wet areas. With its abnormally quick growth rate, this species can make an impact in your garden in a hurry!