Salvia nemorosa Dwarf Blue Queen Seeds - Wood Sage

The Salvia nemorosa 'Dwarf Blue Queen', known as Wood Sage or Forest Sage, is a dwarf form of this upright and well-branched perennial that stands out for its elegant and airy spikes of inflorescences. These spikes, in a very deep blue-violet, bloom throughout the summer, adding a touch of vibrant colour to the garden. This compact and bushy perennial is also valued for its semi-evergreen lanceolate foliage. Very hardy and easy to grow in full sun in well-drained soil, it establishes quickly from the first year, forming a beautiful cover for slightly wild areas of the garden. In addition to beautifying the space, it provides a valuable source of nectar for bees, promoting biodiversity.

The Salvia nemorosa, also known as Salvia superba or Salvia sylvestris, is a plant species of the Lamiaceae family. This perennial herbaceous plant is native to Central Europe and Western Asia. 'Dwarf Blue Queen' is one of its many cultivars; its adult size will not exceed 40 cm in all directions. This perennial has a bushy, very branched, and compact habit. Flowering occurs from June to August, in terminal clusters composed of numerous small flowers (0.5 to 1 cm) in dark blue with reddish-brown bracts. This mix of shades produces a deep blue-violet effect. The beautiful nectar-rich flower spikes succeed each other throughout the summer and delight butterflies. The leaves, 5 to 10 cm long, are ovate or lanceolate, oblong, notched, and puckered. The base of the stems is often reddish.

Plant 'Dwarf Blue Queen' Sage in ordinary, even poor and rather calcareous, but above all well-draining soil. This plant tolerates some drought. It does not appreciate heavy and waterlogged soils in winter that can harm its hardiness. Plant it in a sunny or semi-shaded location. It has the advantage of remaining compact, even in soil that is a bit too rich for it. It looks superb when paired with pale yellow flowering plants like Anthemis ‘Wargrave’ for a strong contrast, or with grey foliage of artemisias and pink flowering plants among the bush roses, for example. Also, associate it with other salvias like clary sage and common sage. It also pairs perfectly with catmints, agastaches, and Lychnis coronaria.

With over 900 species of annuals, perennials, and soft-wooded shrubs distributed worldwide, except in very cold regions and tropical forests, the Salvia genus is the richest in the Lamiaceae family.