Alphabetical Plant Listing

Salvia guaranitica (Blue Anise Sage)

Blue Anise Sage (Salvia Guaranitica)


Blue Anise Sage (Salvia guaranitica) is a popular bushy and ornamental sub-shrub featuring showy 2 inches long (5 cm) flowers in intense blue, purple, or white, usually with darker purple calyces. Blooming from mid-summer to fall to the delight of hummingbirds and butterflies, Salvia guaranitica is easy to grow, fairly pest and disease free, and requires low maintenance.

  • Native to Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina, this tender perennial is hardy to zones 8-10 and is generally treated as an annual in cooler areas (if planted in a protected location with a winter mulch, the plant might survive a mild winter in zones 6-7).
  • Heat and drought-tolerant, it features lovely foliage, which exudes a soft anise scent when bruised.
  • Growing up to 3-5 feet (90-150 cm), it is ideal at the back of the border and mixes wonderfully with the vibrant, hot colors of other perennials, such as Crocosmia and Rudbeckia, or annuals (Zinnia). Perfect for containers too!
  • Enjoys full sun or light shade in average, evenly moist, well-drained soils. Organically rich loam is preferred. Avoid too much shade, or the plant might fall over.
  • Deer resistant!
  • May be grown from seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last spring frost date or sown directly in the ground after the danger of frost has passed.
  • Remove spent flower spikes to promote further blooms and cut back after flowering is over.
  • Native to South America, including Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina

Guide Information

Hardiness 8 - 10
Heat Zones 8 - 11
Climate Zones 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Salvia - Sage
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer
Fall
Height 3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm)
Spread 4' - 5' (120cm - 150cm)
Spacing 48" - 60" (120cm - 150cm)
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Drought
Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas Beds and Borders, Wall-Side Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.

Guide Information

Hardiness 8 - 10
Heat Zones 8 - 11
Climate Zones 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Salvia - Sage
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer
Fall
Height 3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm)
Spread 4' - 5' (120cm - 150cm)
Spacing 48" - 60" (120cm - 150cm)
Water Needs Average
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics Fragrant, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Drought
Attracts Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Landscaping Ideas Beds and Borders, Wall-Side Borders
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden
Not sure which Salvia - Sage to pick?
Compare All Salvia - Sage
Great Plant Combination
Ideas with Salvia - Sage
Guides with Salvia - Sage

Find your Hardiness Zone

Find your Climate Zone

Find your Heat Zone

Join Gardenia.net

Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

Join now and start creating your dream garden!

Create a New Collection

Optional. For your reference.


Move Selected Plants to a Different Collection


Delete Collection

This field is required.

Rename Collection

This field is required.