• Photo of Salvia uliginosa (Salvia uliginosas)

Plant Profile: Salvia uliginosa

Names

Blue Spike Sage, Bog Sage, Sky-blue Sage

  • Photo of Salvia uliginosa (Salvia uliginosas)

Phonetic Spelling:SAL-vee-ah ew-li-gi-NO-suh

Genus:Salvia

Species:uliginosa

Family:Lamiaceae

Sky-blue sage, a species of Salvia often categorized as a semi-hardy annual, is characterized by its open, upright, and spreading growth habit. Its striking visual appeal comes from the continuous bloom of small, vibrant sky-blue flowers that emerge on tall spikes. These flowers typically open in the morning and wither by late afternoon during hot weather, but are quickly replaced by fresh blooms the following day.

This salvia variety flourishes in moist to boggy conditions—hence its common name, Bog Sage—and can tolerate poorly drained soils. However, it also adapts well to standard garden soil. For optimal growth, it is advisable to plant it at the back of a border, where it may require staking or can be combined with other plants for support. In particularly wet environments, it has the potential to become invasive, as it spreads underground through rhizomes.

For further details on Salvia, please refer to additional resources.

Salvia uliginosa Feature Summary

Salvia uliginosa Image Gallery

Tags

#hummingbirds
#full sun tolerant
#blue
#perennial
#wetlands
#wet sites
#cpp
#summer flowers
#deer resistant
#rhizomes
#borders
#pollinator plant
#marshes
#poor soils tolerant
#sandy soils tolerant
#clay soils tolerant
#butterfly friendly
#bee friendly
#bog gardens

Similar Plants

Salvia uliginosa Feature Summary

Attributes
South Eastern & Southern Brazil to Northern Argentina
It is a favorite nectar source for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees, particularly the European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum.
Perennial
Annual
Stem Cutting
Division
Root Cutting
Layering
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Annual
Arching
Erect
Dense
Spreading
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Leaves
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Cottage Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Deer
Wet Soil
Poor Soil
Naturalized Area
Coastal
Riparian
Butterflies
Hummingbirds

Salvia uliginosa Attributes

Salvia uliginosa: Country Or Region Of Origin

South Eastern & Southern Brazil to Northern Argentina

Salvia uliginosa: Wildlife Value

It is a favorite nectar source for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees, particularly the European wool carder bee, Anthidium manicatum.

Salvia uliginosa: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Salvia uliginosa: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Salvia uliginosa Whole Plant Traits

Salvia uliginosa: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Salvia uliginosa: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Salvia uliginosa: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Salvia uliginosa: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Salvia uliginosa: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Salvia uliginosa Cultural Conditions

Salvia uliginosa: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Salvia uliginosa: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Salvia uliginosa: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Salvia uliginosa: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Salvia uliginosa: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Salvia uliginosa: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Salvia uliginosa: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Salvia uliginosa Flowers

Salvia uliginosa: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Blue

Salvia uliginosa: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Salvia uliginosa: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Salvia uliginosa: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Salvia uliginosa: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Salvia uliginosa: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Salvia uliginosa Leaves

Salvia uliginosa: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Salvia uliginosa: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Salvia uliginosa: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Salvia uliginosa: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Salvia uliginosa: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Salvia uliginosa: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Salvia uliginosa: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Salvia uliginosa: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Salvia uliginosa Stem

Salvia uliginosa: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Salvia uliginosa: Stem Cross Section

Angular
Oval
Round
Square

Salvia uliginosa Landscape

Salvia uliginosa: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Salvia uliginosa: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Salvia uliginosa: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Salvia uliginosa: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Salvia uliginosa: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees