Get It Growing for 05/08/26

Salvias are some of the best plants you can add to your garden if you want to entice pollinators to visit. With tubular, nectar-rich flowers, these plants are irresistible to hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators.

They’re easy on the eyes, too. Their vividly colored flowers sit on bloom spikes atop tall stems that sway with the breeze.

Now, there are many salvias out there. Your local garden center might carry Salvia farinacea, or mealy sage; Salvia madrensis, or forsythia sage; and Salvia leucantha, or Mexican bush sage. Would you believe that these lovely flowering selections are related to culinary sage (Salvia officinalis) and rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)?

These are all great plants. But LSU AgCenter horticulturist Jason Stagg would like to point you in the direction of Salvia guaranitica — which isn’t only his preferred salvia species but also is one of his very favorite plants in general.

This species sometimes is called hummingbird sage — because it’s a magnet for the tiny birds — and anise-scented sage, a reference to its fragrant, heart-shaped leaves. It’s tough, handling Louisiana’s hot, humid summers without complaint.

“These hail from tropical regions of South America,” Stagg said. “But even though they’re tropical, most of the time, they actually will perennialize and overwinter in Louisiana, and that’s due to their extensive root system.”

That root system features nodules that resemble tiny potatoes. The plant stores energy in these structures during winter, enabling it to regrow in spring — even after dying back in a hard freeze, Stagg said.

Salvia guaranitica can grow quite large, so it’s best to plant it toward the middle or back of landscape beds. After perennializing for a few years, the plant tends to become more robust with each growing season and can reach 3 to 4 feet tall.

Modern cultivars don’t spread as much as wild types and early introductions.

“The breeding and the hybridizing has kept those clumps a little smaller, but they retain that tough root system,” Stagg said.

Salvia guaranitica is drought tolerant once established and has no major insect or disease problems. It also is deer resistant; the animals are put off by the fragrance and texture of its leaves.

You can successfully grow these plants in containers as well.

“Like most salvias, they’ll bloom best in full sun,” Stagg said. “But I’ve noticed they do enjoy a little protection from the intense, hot afternoon sun.”

You can choose from numerous Salvia guaranitica cultivars and hybrids. Most have blue or purple flowers, with a few leaning more toward burgundy. Some feature flowers that emerge from black calyxes, creating a striking visual contrast.

For blue flowers, Stagg recommends Black and Bloom, Blue Ensign and Bodacious Rhythm and Blues. If you like purple, try Purple and Bloom, Amistad and Bodacious Smokey Jazz.

Learn about one of LSU AgCenter horticulturist Jason Stagg's favorite plants, Salvia guaranitica.

Salvia guaranitica is a tropical species that can perennialize in Louisiana. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

Salvia guaranitica is a magnet for pollinators, including hummingbirds, which favor tubular flowers. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

Some Salvia guaranitica cultivars have burgundy flowers, but many others feature blue or purple blooms. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter

The flowers of Purple and Bloom, a popular Salvia guaranitica cultivar, emerge from black calyxes. Photo by Olivia McClure/LSU AgCenter