Anise Scented Sage Picture Gallery
Easy-to-Grow Group of Sages
If you are looking for a hummingbird's favorite flower, one top species is Salvia guaranitica, which is known for its lavish blue and purple blossoms. Commonly called Anise-Scented Sage, these plants that smell like licorice are native to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
In the wild, Salvia guaranitica is a woodland sage plant growing on the edge of streams in forest clearings. Although it loves water, it does well with an average amount of supplemental watering dependent on local rainfall.
Anise-Scented Sages are also adaptable to a wide variety of soils, including ones without good drainage. As to sun exposure, these heat-tolerant perennials prefer some partial shade but can handle full sun in some locations, such as along coasts. While some varieties are cold hardy to USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6, most need warmer winter weather.
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Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Blue'
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Salvia x guaranitica 'Omaha Gold'
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Salvia x guaranitica 'Purple Majesty'
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Salvia guaranitica 'Van Remsen'
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Salvia x guaranitica 'Jean's Purple Passion'
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Salvia x guaranitica 'Costa Rica Blue'
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Salvia guaranitica 'Blue Ensign'
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Salvia guaranitica 'Sapphire Blue'
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Salvia guaranitica 'Elk Argentina Skies'
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Salvia BODACIOUS 'Rhythm and Blues'
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Salvia cuatrecasana x guaranitica 'Elk Magenta'
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Salvia guaranitica 'Purple Haze'
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Salvia COOL Fandango
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Salvia COOL Lavender Blush
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Salvia COOL Lavender Mist
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Salvia BODACIOUS 'Smokey Jazz'
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Salvia COOL Pink Lace
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Salvia COOL Wild Strawberry
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Salvia BODACIOUS 'Hummingbird Falls'
Related Blog entries for plants in the Anise Scented Sage Picture Gallery
Flowers by the Sea grows Salvias that are already popular in the Southeast as well as others we would like to introduce to gardeners seeking thirsty flowering plants that can also adjust to dry spells. Many are fine choices for Florida hummingbird gardens. Our suggestions are organized into categories based on moisture tolerance – average and ample -- as well as sun requirements.
Ask Mr. Sage answers questions based on calls and emails that Flowers by the Sea receives, such as concerns about what Salvias will grow in clay soils. This article talks about specific plants for dry and wet clay conditions, how to improve soil drainage and planting on slopes in wet areas.
Flowers that butterflies and hummingbirds favor are rich sources of nectar. But not all nectar-rich butterfly favorites are easy to access with long hummingbird beaks. Conversely, many flowers designed by nature to attract hummingbirds don't have the structure necessary for feeding butterflies or providing a perch. Here are ten Salvias and companion plants for backyard wildlife habitat that both butterflies and hummingbirds will enjoy.
You might expect the foliage of a plant called Anise-Scented Sage (Salvia guaranitica) to smell robustly like licorice, which shares the same fragrance as anise. Some gardeners detect a hint of licorice after crushing a leaf, but many say the foliage merely smells sweet. These popular sages are native to Brazil where indigenous peoples used their leaves as a medicine. Flowers by the Sea grows many varieties in a wide range of sizes and flower colors
Hummingbirds are like tiny combat jets dive bombing each other when staking claim to the nectar-rich flowers they need for survival. Fights over nectar habitat can reduce hummingbird gardens to single occupancy. FBTS Farm and Online Nursery details and tells stories about its top six hummingbird flowers. Plant lots of them to accommodate a village of hungry hummers.
California's small, Mohave Desert city of Barstow averages about 5 inches of rain annually. Across the continent, Pensacola, Florida, has more than double Barstow's population and more than 12 times its amount of rainfall. Yet both cities are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Plant Hardiness Zone 9 where you can plant perennials and shrubs that survive winter lows ranging from 20 to 30 degrees F. Flowers by the Sea takes readers on a triple coast road trip of Zone 9 and suggests plantings for varied growing conditions along the way.
Salvia BODACIOUS® ‘Hummingbird Falls’ is a natural substitute for sugar-water feeders. It’s also the world’s first hanging basket sage. Hummingbirds love this long blooming, cascading sage as you can see in this video filmed in a greenhouse at Flowers by the Sea (FBTS) Farm and Online Nursery. Hummingbird Falls is a heat-tolerant Salvia guaranitica hybrid developed at FBTS by Kermit Carter, who demonstrates how to plant it for optimum growth of its dense, glossy foliage and abundant, violet-blue flowers. Carter offers tips about choosing the best size and type of planters, selecting well-draining potting mix, avoiding soil compaction, and creating a snug planting hole that protects roots and encourages growth.
This video about Salvia BODACIOUS® ‘Hummingbird Falls’ is part of our Views from the Garden video series published in the FBTS Everything Salvias Blog. Flowers by the Sea is a farm and online, mail order nursery specializing in the Salvia genus.
Assembling a new planter with fresh potting soil and young plants is a feel-good activity similar to moving into a new home. Each pot and property is full of promise. Placing a single plant or a grouping in the right size of pot is like selecting a starter home for it that will encourage healthy growth. The type of material a pot is made from also affects development. Flowers by the Sea Online Salvia Nursery explains how to choose correct pot sizes as well as pot styles, sizes, colors and arrangements. Don't miss The Flowerpot Men music video!
Name | Mature height | Mature width | Flower color | Bract color | Exposure |
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Salvia guaranitica 'Black & Blue' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Strong Violet | Dark Grayish Purple | Full sun |
Salvia x guaranitica 'Omaha Gold' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Strong Violet | Dark Purple | Partial shade |
Salvia x guaranitica 'Purple Majesty' | 4 to 5 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Deep Purple | Dark Purple | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia guaranitica 'Van Remsen' | 6 feet plus | 6 feet plus | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia x guaranitica 'Jean's Purple Passion' | 6 feet plus | 6 feet plus | Deep Purple | Dark Purple | Full sun |
Salvia x guaranitica 'Costa Rica Blue' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Vivid Violet | Dark Grayish Purple | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia guaranitica 'Blue Ensign' | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Vivid Blue | Strong Yellowish Green | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia guaranitica 'Sapphire Blue' | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia guaranitica 'Elk Argentina Skies' | 5 to 6 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia BODACIOUS 'Rhythm and Blues' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Vivid Violet | Dark Grayish Purple | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia cuatrecasana x guaranitica 'Elk Magenta' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Deep Purple | Strong Yellowish Green | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia guaranitica 'Purple Haze' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia COOL Fandango | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia COOL Lavender Blush | 4 to 5 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Vivid Violet | Moderate Brown | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia COOL Lavender Mist | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Vivid Violet | Moderate Yellowish Green | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia BODACIOUS 'Smokey Jazz' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia COOL Pink Lace | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia COOL Wild Strawberry | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia BODACIOUS 'Hummingbird Falls' | 1 to 2 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |