PlantFiles: Mealy Cup Sage, Mealycup Sage
Salvia farinacea

This Texas Wildflower blooms early spring until the hot summer, then springs back with an abundance of blue blooms in fall. Cut it back after the first bloom for compact growth. Mine has morning shade, hot afternoon sun and performs beautifully. Drought hardy fool proof plant requiring little water.

More of a purple color close up, but bluish from far back, not as tall as other blue colored salvias, the intense sun here in NC doesn't seem to bother it, so it seems very hardy, but then again it doesnt start blooming for me till much later than all my other blue salvias such as may night, victoria blue, etc, which bloom earlier; starts blooming around the same time as my black and blue salvias, maybe alittle latter, but these black and blues salvia are not mealy cups like these so different leaf and much they are much taller, so this is an early fall one for me. Also, since this doesnt get real tall i'd use it as a border plant like the previous commenter stated. peace. mike

I first came to admire this plant when I saw it in a lot that was being plowed up. Went out & dug up a wheel barrow full & planted it around the garden, mainly as a border plant. With some organic fertilizer & root stimulator it took readily & has become one of my favorite xeric plants!! Excellent drought resistance & beautiful blooms.

This is perennial for me, gradually becoming bigger but does not seem to do well with transplanting. THe roots are woody and hard to divide. Prone to downy mildew on lower leaves. Goldfins\ches ove the seeds so I don't shear them as I should to encourage rebloom and fullr growth from below. Pinching in spring may help fullness.
Will self sow but not excessively.

This plant can be found growing natively in Connecticutt,, Florida, Louisiana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas. It does best in full sun; however, the drier it is, the more shade the plant can handle. When new basal foliage appears, cut the old flower stems to keep the plants lush. Also, shearing the plant 2 or 3 times a growing season keeps it full and encorages flowering. After the first frost browns the leaves or in mid-winter, prune to 3" from the ground. Butterflies and hummingbirds love the nectar and deer avoid the plant. If the soil is kept too wet, it will become leggy and weak. A cold, moist stratification period is required for germination. This salvia species requires light in order to germinate. It can be propagated by cuttings.

I grow this in full sun and live in a californian type climate (no rain in summer but i use a watering system). Has any one else experienced brittle woody bits of the plant, lowest down? By deadheading it, i have gotten it to flower from mid spring to autumn and it hasn't finished yet.

I was worried i would lose the plant when the heatwaves struck (four days in a row of 40+ degrees celcius - but it hung in there.

My garden is on a slope, so the plant definately gets well drained.

This plant readily self-sows, but usually also survives southwest Missouri winters (in my garden at least). Goldfinches relish the seeds. Their bright yellow plumage contrasted against the blue blossoms is a very beautiful sight!

6-8" upright spikes of china blue flowers above compact bushy plant. Unreliable perennial except for in well drained sites. Grown normally as an annual in Texas.

Tender perennial grown as an annual in colder climates. One of the showiest salvias for full sun locations; foliage is gray-green topped with vivid blue spikes of flowers most of the summer and fall. Flowers somewhat resemble lavender, and work well in cottage garden borders. Flowers will be more vivid in areas with cooler summers.