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Planting and Growing Salvia Flowers

Blue salvia flowers
Image Credit:
Sonia Bonet
Botanical Name
Salvia spp.
Grown as
Perennial
USDA Zones
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Toxicity
Non-toxic
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Water Needs
Moderate
Height
1–3 feet
Spread
3-6 feet
Soil pH
Acidic
Bloom Time
Spring
Summer
Fall
Flower Color
Blue
Pink
Purple
Red
White
Yellow
Special Features
Cut Flower
Long Blooming
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Hummingbirds
Attracts Pollinators
Attracts Songbirds
Deer-resistant
Rabbit-resistant
Resilience
Drought-Tolerant
Heat-Tolerant
Plant Type
Flowers
Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

If you’re looking to add a splash of color and a bit of cheer to your garden, plant salvia in the springtime, just after the last frost. Give it a sunny patch of well-drained soil. Once it settles in, you’ll find most salvias can handle a dry spell or two without much fuss. Snip off the faded blossoms as needed, and you just might coax out another round of flowers. 

Salvia’s bright blooms attract bees, butterflies, and even the occasional hummingbird, so don’t be surprised if your garden starts buzzing (and humming) with activity. Whether you’re starting from nursery plants or seeds, the steps below will walk you through when and how to plant salvia—and how keep it growing and flowering through the season. 

Planting

When to Plant Salvia

Salvia is usually planted in the spring or fall, but the exact timing depends on the frost dates where you live.

  • Potted salvia: Plant outside in spring, after the last frost. If your salvia can survive winters where you live, you can also plant it in fall, several weeks before the first frost.
     
  • Salvia seeds: Plant your seeds indoors about 10-12 weeks before the last spring frost so you’re ready to move them into the ground outside once the final frost has passed. 

Find the first and last frost dates for your area using our Frost Dates Calculator.

Did you know? No need to worry about cold stratification (a fancy way of saying chilling seeds before planting). Most salvia seeds don’t need it!

Where to Plant Salvia

  • Sunny location: Most salvias are happiest in spots that get at least 6 to 8 hours of sunshine a day. Some types with lighter-colored flowers can handle part-shade, but you might see fewer blooms. 
     
  • Well-draining soil: Soil that allows water and oxygen to flow freely is important for salvias. Avoid planting yours in low spots where excess water has nowhere to go and where roof runoff regularly flows.

How to Plant Salvia

To grow salvia from potted plants:

  1. Start by loosening the soil to about 12 inches deep. Remove any large stones or roots you come across. Mix in a 3-inch layer of compost to help your salvia thrive. 
     
  2. If you’re planting in a container, use a potting mix that drains well. You can mix in some perlite or coarse sand to help the water drain out. Small, annual salvias can be kept in containers that are 8-10 inches wide, but I recommend pots that are at least 3 to 5 gallons for bigger plants. Whatever you use, make sure the container has drainage holes! 
     
  3. If you’re planting in the garden, dig a hole that’s twice as wide as the plant’s pot. Take the plant out of the pot and place it in the hole so the top of the root ball is even with the soil surface. If you’re growing multiple plants together, leave about 1-3 feet of space between each one. 
     
  4. Carefully fill in around the plant, pressing the soil down gently. Add a layer of mulch, and water thoroughly.

To grow salvia from seeds:

  1. Plant the seeds indoors about 10 to 12 weeks before the last spring frost. Lightly press the seeds into the top of your seed-starting mix—don’t cover them up! 
     
  2. Keep the soil evenly moist. The seeds will begin to sprout soon. 
     
  3. When your seedlings are ready, help them adjust to outdoor life—this is known as “hardening off”—before planting them outside for good after the final frost has passed.
purple salvia growing in a garden with pink flowers and rocks
Salvia adds a vibrant pop of color to any garden.
Credit: Mark Herreid

Growing

Watering

  • Water newly planted salvias regularly while they settle in and grow roots. 
     
  • After that, water when the soil begins to dry, adjusting for rainfall and the type of salvia you’re growing. Many established salvias don’t mind a dry spell, with the exception of pineapple sage, which prefers more consistent moisture. 
     
  • If your salvia is in a pot, check it for dryness more often since potted plants dry out faster than plants in the garden.

Fertilizing

  • If you’re growing salvias in a container, give them some liquid organic fertilizer once in the spring. 
     
  • Salvias grown in the garden usually don’t need any fertilizer. But if yours need a pick-me-up, you can apply a layer of compost once in the spring.
     
  • Go easy on fertilizer—too much and you’ll get lots of leaves but not many flowers. 

Pruning or Maintenance

  • Deadhead salvias (snip off the faded flower spikes) about every 1-2 weeks during the growing season to encourage more blooms and keep your plants looking trim. 
     
  • Prune dead or damaged stems as needed. Just keep in mind that a brown, woody stem isn’t necessarily dead or damaged. Some salvia types develop woody stems as they grow.

Seasonal Care

  • At the end of the season: Leave salvia flowers in place—this helps the plants reseed and gives birds a nice winter treat. 
     
  • Each spring: Remove dead or damaged stems, leaving healthy stems and new growth in place. Freshen up your plants by applying a fresh layer of compost and mulch.
     
  • Every few years in early spring: Divide perennial salvias that grow in clumps under the soil. Just lift the plants up, gently split them into smaller clumps with the roots attached, and replant!

Harvesting

When to Harvest

  • Salvia flowers can be harvested for cut flowers and bouquets as soon as they begin to open. 
  • Harvest your salvias in the early morning if you can—flowers harvested then tend to last the longest! 
purple salvia growing outside
Salvia blooms ready to be harvested.
Credit: agatchen

How to Harvest

  • Use sharp, clean pruners to snip the long flower stems free. 
     
  • Keep as many leaves in place as you can so the plants stay healthy. 
     
  • Never harvest more than 1/3 of your plant’s blooms in one go. Pollinators like bees and butterflies rely on salvia flowers for nectar, so they need their share, too! 

Storage

  • Place your cut salvia flowers in a vase of fresh water as soon as you can, removing any leaves or blooms that would be underwater. 
     
  • Refresh the water daily and keep the flowers out of direct sunlight. 
     
  • Your salvia flowers should look lovely for about 5 to 7 days after harvesting!

Pests and Problems

Salvias are hardy plants that keep away many diseases and pests. Even deer and rabbits usually steer clear! Still, these tough-as-nails beauties can run into trouble if they become stressed.

Here’s how to spot common problems, pests, and plant diseases—and what to do next. 

Salvia Pests and Problems
What You SeeLikely CauseWhat to Do
Floppy or leggy stemsToo little sunlight, overly wet soil, or too much nitrogen fertilizer.Check sunlight and drainage. Move plants to a sunnier spot if needed, let soil dry between waterings, and cut back on fertilizer.
Few or no flowersToo little sunlight, too much fertilizer, uneven watering, or pest damage.Check your salvia’s usual bloom season and sunlight needs. Cut back on fertilizer, adjust watering, and inspect leaves and buds for pests.
Curled or twisted leaves; black, sooty moldAphids feeding on leaves and stems.Check new growth and leaf undersides for clusters of tiny insects. Knock them off with a firm spray of water. If needed, use an organic insecticidal soap, following the label’s instructions; avoid spraying flowers or pollinators.
Thin webs and pale speckles on leaves, especially in hot, dry weatherSpider mites feeding on your plants.Rinse leaf undersides with water and prevent plants from becoming drought-stressed. If mites persist, use an organic insecticidal soap, following the label’s instructions; avoid spraying flowers or pollinators.
White or gray powdery patches on leaves and stemsPowdery mildew.Remove badly affected leaves. Give plants enough space for air to move freely. 
Brown spots on leaves; browning flowers; fuzzy gray mold Gray mold (Botrytis blight).Remove and discard affected flowers and foliage. Improve airflow, water at the soil line, and disinfect pruning tools between plants.

Types

There are roughly 960 unique species of salvia. These must-have varieties are some of our favorites: 
 
  • Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans): Bright red blooms and fruity-scented leaves. Grown as an annual in most places. Flowers are edible!
     
  • Autumn sage (S. greggii): Compact and shrubby. Blooms from spring to frost in a rainbow of colors. Does well in the heat and naturally resists diseases.
     
  • Pitcher sage (S. azurea var. grandiflora): Tall and airy, with sky-blue flowers and aromatic leaves. Blooms in late summer to fall.
a hummingbird drinks nectar from red salvia flowers
A hummingbird visits pineapple sage salvia blooms.
Credit: Sheila Fitzgerald

Wit and Wisdom

  • Ancient Romans used salvia to clean their teeth and believed that it made their minds sharper.
     
  • The name salvia comes from the Latin salvere, meaning “to heal.” 
     
  • Sage (the common kitchen herb) is a type of salvia. 
     
  • Salvia belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae).

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is salvia a perennial?
    Many salvias are perennials, but some are grown as annuals because they can’t survive cold winters. Check your plant tag’s USDA Hardiness Zones to see whether yours can return each year where you live.
  • Should you deadhead salvia?
    Yes—deadheading salvia is a great way to encourage another round of flowers. Just snip off the flower spikes after the flower is past its prime.
  • Do salvias bloom all summer?
    Some salvias flower through much of summer, while others wait until later in the season. Autumn sage has a long flowering season, whereas pineapple sage typically blooms in late summer and fall. Keep up with deadheading—removing spent flowers—as the season rolls along to encourage another round of flowers. 
  • Can salvia grow in shade?

    While a few salvias don’t mind a bit of shade, most grow and flower best with lots of sunshine. If your summers are scorching, types like autumn sage might appreciate a little afternoon shade. Before choosing where to plant your salvia, take a peek at how much light it prefers.

  • Is salvia deer resistant?

    Many salvia types are not high on a deer’s menu. Still, when food is hard to find, a hungry deer might nibble on just about any plant, so don’t take “deer resistant” as a promise carved in stone.

Flowers
Sources
  1. University of Florida Extension — Bird-Friendly Plants
  2. NC State Extension — Salvia nemorosa
  3. University of Minnesota Extension — Salvia

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana.

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Eloise</span> Fri, 05/02/2025 - 10:03
I have 2 salvia bushes and on May 2 in eastern Pennsylvania, neither shows signs of new growth. Can you tell me when new shoots are likely to appear? (Patience is not one of my strengths.) Thank you.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 05/06/2025 - 11:39

Unlike annual salvias, which will not return the following year, perennial salvias should show new growth each year. However, many factors can affect their timing. Are these established plants? If so, look for them to start new growth around the same time as last year, although certain stresses may cause delays. Is there any sign of damage to the two plants, from overwintering, animals, or disease/insects? If not, your salvias likely should start growth by mid to late May, but this can depend on species--some emerge later than others. A period of warmer weather may help to wake them up. For more information about how salvias are emerging in your area, you might try contacting a local garden center or your county's Cooperative Extension--contact information can be found here: 

https://extension.psu.edu/county-offices

Hope this helps!

 <span>Michael</span> Tue, 12/17/2024 - 12:52
I have purple salvia in the yard in Charleston SC. The blooms are gone, so should I trim it or just leave it alone?
<span>Aaliyah</span> Mon, 04/20/2026 - 10:56
nice plants
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 12/18/2024 - 12:23

Hi Michael,

In your area, it is best to just leave the stems alone until early spring—when the chance of frost has passed—and new growth begins. At that time you can prune away the old stems. This will help to avoid any freeze damage that could take place during any cold stretches this winter.

Hope this helps!

 <span>Reese</span> Thu, 10/03/2024 - 23:03
What is the name of the deep blue salvia at the top of your new almanac, Oct 3, 2024 It is exactly what I want. Thank you
<span>Jeanne Viola-Balding</span> Sun, 11/17/2024 - 14:51
Mine has a "Black & Blue" label on it. (BallFloraPlant). I found it at Costco, of all places! I was just looking to see how to prep it for fall. It's beautiful, & the hummingbirds & bees love it! Good luck finding it - I searched for 2 years!
<span>Donna</span> Sat, 04/19/2025 - 20:27
I planted black and blue salvia years ago and it spreads by underground runners. You’d better really love it because it’s hard to get rid of and will take over your garden. The hummingbirds do love it but I no longer do. Just a warning so you know what you’re getting into. I’m in zone 8 in NC.
<span>Lorena Renteria</span> Mon, 07/08/2024 - 15:50
I planted Salvia seeds in the spring. They've grown very slowly and are now 5-8" tall. One has just started to bloom. Is it normal for them to take so long to grow and bloom? I'm in central California where we're getting triple digit temps and the plants have full sun most of the day.
<span>Laura Carpenter</span> Fri, 07/26/2024 - 11:04
Probably stunted by the heat. I’m up in Washington and my whole garden is like that. Very frustrating…