Specializing in Salvia plants - Ornamental, Medicinal & Culinary Sage

Using our index, you can search Salvias by topics, such as the color of their flowers, the seasons in which they bloom, their cultural needs for sun and water, the USDA Zones in which they thrive and the kinds of sages that appeal to butterflies and hummingbirds. You can also look by origins, which is particularly helpful for native plant gardeners.However, if you know the scientific or common name of the Salvia you want and just need to see if we carry it, the 'A to Z' list is the quickest way to obtain that information.

Salvia gains its name from the Latin word 'salvare' which means to heal or save. Herbalists have used various species for centuries as folk medicines. Nowadays many sages are being studied by medical researchers. They are also gaining popularity as long-blooming landscaping plants that require little fuss.

With about 900 flowering species -- including annuals, perennials and shrubs -- Salvia is the largest genus in the mint family (Lamiaceae or Labiatae). Salvias are noted for their mint-family traits of square stems and double-lipped, tubular flowers. Many are intoxicatingly fragrant. The genus contains about 900 species worldwide with its largest concentrations native to the Americas, the Mediterranean, Central Asia (including Turkey) and the Far East. Some plants from other Lamiaceae genuses are included in this list, because they are so closely related to Salvias that we tend to think of them as true sages.

The 'A to Z' list encompasses single representatives of species as well as species for which we offer so many cultivars, such as the Autumn and Mountain Sages (S. greggii and S. microphylla spp.), that they have their own subcategory in the 'Special Salvia Groups' part of our index.

Sages are endlessly fascinating due to their diversity. They offer a broad array of long-blooming, vibrantly colored flowers. Their leaves range from fuzzy to glossy with shapes and sizes varying from smooth lances tinier than the nail of a little finger to toothed, rumpled foliage broader and far longer than a man's hand. Many are perfect for dry, full-sun gardens while some do well in shady areas with excessive moisture. They save many a gardener facing difficult growing conditions.