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Hardiness: USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F) USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F) USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F) USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F) USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F) USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F) USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F) USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F) USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Other details: This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds Average Water Needs; Water regularly; do not overwater Self-sows freely; deadhead if you do not want volunteer seedlings next season
Soil pH requirements: 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
On Jul 4, 2007, bmuller from Albuquerque, NM (Zone 7a) wrote:
This is my second year to grow what we call "vampire sage" (from its name--not from any sinister habits). I purchased the plant last year from High Country Gardens, divided it this year, and have many blooms on both plants. (It needs plenty of room. Mine now needs moving--not just dividing again.) I love the color of the blooms, and I don't mind the "coarse" leaves, since my garden is a pretty informal "cottage" garden--which is just a way of saying "I grow everything I can in my small yard, with little regard for design."
On May 10, 2007, hillfarm from Quesnel, BC (Zone 4a) wrote:
Grew this for several seasons; my thriving colony was wiped out two years ago when my sheep spent a few days in the garden while we were away. Haven't even had any seedlings since, either. Annoying.
I originally grew this one from Thompson & Morgan seed; not nearly as floriferous (if that's a word!) or "blue" as the catalogue photos, but still was very nice for continuous bloom mid-summer right past first few frosts. Really appreciated this in the autumn when the garden was in decline.
Not outstandingly showy, but pleasant in mid-border. Knee-high-ish.
Will definitely grow this again. Seed was easy to start; seedlings vigorous and trouble-free. Overwintered just fine here for 3 (maybe 4?) seasons; there were always a few seedlings showing up as well.
On Mar 12, 2006, echinops from Logansport, IN (Zone 5b) wrote:
Ordered 3 tiny little pots of this salvia last year and was absolutely charmed. How to describe the color? It's somehow "clearer" than your average salvia. Beautiful with a bouquet of sunflowers and purple basil. The plants were maintenance-free and bloomed freely.....I think the only thing I did is cut them back a bit in the beginning of August. I think the only possible detriment is that the plants were a bit coarse-textured for most modern landscapes. For a midwest cottage garden, however, I'd highly reccomend this species. Our dog's been sleeping on the bed where the salvia's located all winter, so I doubt they'll come up again this Spring, but even if they don't, I'm super satisfied by last year's show.
Regional...
This plant has been said to grow in the following regions:
Fort Collins, Colorado Chadwick, Illinois Prospect, Kentucky Center City, Minnesota Minneapolis, Minnesota Florence, Mississippi Hudson, New Hampshire Albuquerque, New Mexico Westbury, New York Fremont, Ohio Fredericksburg, Texas Kalama, Washington
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