Salvia Guaranitica: Growing Blue Anise Sage Right
Lovely Salvia guaranitica, also known as 'black and blue' sage or blue anise sage, is a lovely perennial plant. Our guide reveals care tips!
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Salvia guaranitica black and blue is an attractive perennial that bears cobalt blue flowers and either light green or black calyces. Also known as “Black and Blue” Salvia, the cultivar belongs to the Salvia genus of evergreen shrubs. Native to southern South America, especially Brazil, the plant height is 6′ feet tall and is grown as an annual.
The sometimes pale blue flowers, sometimes deep blue flowers, and pale green leaves to deep green leaves are not only gorgeous, but they are also a pollinator attractant that hummingbirds love. They’re highly pest-resistant plants that love full sun and bloom from mid-summer to fall.
This salvia received the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit! So, pick one up at your local nursery, and let’s learn to grow this purple plant with dark stems that attracts hummingbirds!
Salvia Guaranitica Quick Care Guide
| Common Name(s) | Black & Blue salvia, blue anise sage, anise-scented sage, Brazilian sage, giant blue sage, sapphire sage, hummingbird sage, blue ensign, purple splendor |
| Scientific Name | Salvia guaranitica |
| Family | Lamiaceae |
| Plant Height & Spread | 2-5′ tall and 2-5′ wide |
| Light | Full sun to part shade |
| Soil | Rich, loamy, well-drained soil |
| Water | 1 inch per week |
| Pests & Diseases | Whiteflies, leafhoppers, spider mites, aphids, downy mildew, powdery mildew, root rot |
All About Blue Anise, Salvia Guaranitica
Black and blue salvia, or Salvia guaranitica black and blue is also known as blue anise sage, anise-scented sage, Brazilian sage, giant blue sage, sapphire sage, blue ensign, purple splendor, and hummingbird sage. Its lovely flowers and pale green foliage that smells lovely is perfect for pollinator gardens and borders.
The plant originates in Brazil, Paraguay, and Northern Argentina. It’s naturalized in Central America, too — namely, Costa Rica. At the beginning of the blooming period the plant has pale blue flowers with a lightly toothed lower lip. The flower deepens to deep cobalt blue flowers toward the end. In Brazil, Paraguay, Northern Argentina, and Costa Rica, the plant grows along woodland streams and in forest clearings.
Brazilian sage is a drought-tolerant perennial as it has moisture-conserving rhizomes. It’s a tall shrub with an anise scent, dark stems, and a running root stock that forms wide clumps of stems. The stems are covered with ovate dark green leaves and 1-2″ long dark blue flowers that sit atop either yellow green calyces or black calyces. Each green calyx blooms deep blue flowers in mid summer through autumn. The Argentina skies plants are sun lovers. The plant height is up to 5′ feet tall.
Salvia guaranitica black and blue is a species within the Salvia genus and belongs to the Lamiaceae family. This plant can be biennial, annual, evergreen, or herbaceous. It is known for its simple or pinnately-lobed, fragrant pale to dark green leaves and two-lipped blue flowers on spikes. It’s quite similar to its cousin, Salvia rhinosinia, with a plant height up to 8′ feet tall with vigorous and often invasive tubers. Like Black and Blue Salvia, its cousin also loves sunny to partial shade areas.
The Argentina skies plant takes about 1-2 years to reach its full height. It’s a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plant with a bloom time that lasts from June to frost. Its fragrant foliage and deep blue color of the flowers attract butterflies and birds. Due to its unique characteristics, it makes for a perfect xeriscape planting choice to add to your garden’s border.
Black and Blue Salvia Care
Blue anise sage is definitely a low to no-maintenance plant when it’s planted in the right conditions. Here’s what it needs to thrive.
Light & Temperature
Anise-scented sage requires full sun to partial shade to grow well. Plant your Argentina skies in well-lit spot (some light shade is ok), preferably south-facing or west-facing. Avoid a north facing spots, or planting in too much shade if possible. It’s a winter hardy plant that grows well in USDA Zone 8-10 and can tolerate heat, even in full sun conditions.
As for frost, in cooler areas it acts as a tender perennial, dying back when temperatures are consistently below freezing. Before winter, mulch around the base of the plant to protect the roots in winter, or bring container plants indoors. Overall, for growing conditions, remember where this plant grows naturally in Costa Rica.
Water & Humidity
Salvia guaranitica likes regular watering when it’s getting established. After transplanting, water once or twice a week, especially during the mid summer. After the plant is established, it will subsist with very little to no water. Give it at least weekly water during hot weather in severe drought situations or periods where little to no rainfall has occurred for best flower development; while it’s drought-tolerant that doesn’t mean it can survive on no water at all! In particularly humid regions, stay on the lookout for mildews.
Soil
Salvia guaranitica plants love rich, well-drained soil. Avoid poorly-drained soils as they can cause root rot. Go for sandy, chalky, and loamy soils with a slightly acidic pH of 5.5 – 6.5. Here in North Texas, black and blue sage does just fine planted in our heavy clay soil that’s amended with well-rotted compost. Refresh the soil annually with a little more well-rotted compost to keep the nutrient content up in the soil. Container plants do best with a rich, well-draining potting soil that’s refreshed annually in the same way.
Fertilizer for Salvia Guaranitica
Only the container-grown Salvia guaranitica plants benefit from fertilizer. A slow release fertilizer, like Espoma Garden Tone, sprinkled sparsely around the base of the plant will provide enough nutrition to keep your plant healthy throughout the year. In-ground plants should not be fertilized, especially if they are planted in rich soil.
Repotting Black and Blue Salvia
When your salvia gets too big for its container, it may need to be up-potted. To start, prepare a pot with good drainage holes. Fill the pot with potting soil and lightly compact it. Make sure the pot is slightly bigger than the root ball by about 1″ inch. Dig out the plant and lightly prune off the root tips to make the root ball more manageable. Use a knife to split the roots into sections. Keep the segments evenly moist, not soggy. Carefully replant into the pot.
Blue Anise Sage Propagation
Blue anise sage can be propagated through softwood cuttings several weeks after the last spring frost date or semi-ripe cuttings in late spring to mid summer. Make sure the stem or rhizomes are evenly moist but not overly hydrated, which can cause root rot. Plant them in early autumn in a cool, dark place, leaving a little soil around the root ball. When they grow, move them to a bright, warm spot.
I’ve had success propagating this plant by cuttings in fall, and keeping it in a pot indoors through winter. Then after the last spring frost date, I planted it in late spring. It started blooming in late summer, and many more blooms will come throughout the fall season.
Pruning Salvia Guaranitica
Once your black and blue sage flowers fade on the yellow green calyces in late fall, you can remove spent flower spikes all the way to the ground. Alternatively, you can leave the stems on the plant, and dark green leaves will grow again on the remaining woody stems. This provides habitat for overwintering insects, including beneficial pollinators. Thankfully, whatever you choose, this perennial will return in early spring and should be fully growing in late spring. Blooms don’t need last year’s growth to produce that lovely flower color.
Of course, remove any dead or diseased branches with sharp pruning shears as needed throughout the season.
Troubleshooting Salvia Guaranitica, Black and Blue
Salvia guaranitica is a low-maintenance type of plant. Let’s explore some common growing problems you may face while growing it. As for larger mammals, this sage is deer-resistant.
Growing Problems
If your Salvia guaranitica black and blue is grown in too much shade, the stems may elongate and fall over. This process is referred to as etiolation and is a sign of the plants reaching for their much-needed sunlight. When you place them in your garden, always keep them in areas with full sun to partial shade. Over-watering can also cause various fungi to develop and can lead to root rot. Therefore, always make sure you plant and grow in well-drained soils.
If you prune heavily at the incorrect time, in the active growth phases of spring, late summer, and early fall, your plant may suffer and could die. But most of the time it will survive an onslaught of issues with ease.
Pests
While Salvia guaranitica black and blue is highly pest resistant, you may notice the following common insects on your plants. The leaves of Black and Blue sage are susceptible to whiteflies, aphids, spider mites, and leaf hoppers that can suck on the plant juices. Use insecticidal soaps, neem oil, and a jet of water to keep them away from your plants in the garden. However, if you’re planting to attract pollinators, stick with water as your first defense, or spray at sunset once the pollinating insects have retreated for the day to allow your treatment to dry on the plant. Do not spray the flowers directly, only the leaf or stem surfaces. You may want to skip it entirely, as black and blue salvia can handle the infestations of most pests.
Diseases
These plants can also suffer from downy mildew and powdery mildew due to poorly drained soils and high humidity. The best way to prevent this is by pruning for air flow and removing weeds to promote aeration. Water early in the morning so the plants can dry out during the day. Always plant in well-drained soils
Remove the infected foliage if powdery mildew or downy mildew becomes a significant issue and if applying copper fungicide or neem oil does not reduce the problem. Again, it’s best to apply sprays at twilight as this reduces the risks to pollinators by allowing the treatment to dry on the plant before pollinators return.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is salvia invasive?
A: The Black and Blue cultivar is not invasive. However, Salvia aethiopis and Salvia sclarea are two invasive species native to Washington.
Q: Will Blue Anise Sage grow in shade?
A: Yes, the lightly toothed flower of this plant can grow in partial shade. However, it needs full sun for healthy root development.
Q: What are some other cultivars of Salvias that I can grow in my garden?
A: Argentina Skies, Blue Ensign, and Costa Rica Blue can all grow well in mild climates. They produce deep cobalt blue flowers just like Black and Blue Salvia.
Q: Is anise scented sage a perennial?
A: It is! In colder zones, before winter, mulch substantially as Salvia guaranitica is considered a tender perennial. In its hardiness range, it dies back in freezes and returns when conditions are favorable.
Q: Do you cut back blue anise sage?
A: You certainly can the stalks it to the ground after their bloom time and their leaf color is turning brown. Or leave the woody stems through winter for beneficial insects.
Q: What can I plant with salvias?
A: Perhaps the best thing about Salvia guaranitica black and blue is that it can be planted with almost any other plants as long as they don’t crowd each other out.
Q: What do you use blue sage for?
A: During its bloom time the plant is great for attracting pollinators, like butterflies and hummingbirds, as well as a host of pollinating insects. They are great for separating areas of gardens with two-lipped flushes of deep blue.
Q: Can you eat blue anise sage?
A: You can. It’s non-toxic, but it packs more of an anise scent than a punch of flavor. That’s why culinary sages are more often chosen for the kitchen.
