IMHO Salvia uliginosa "Bog Sage" is one of the scariest plants ever to have found its way to my garden! I love its looks but it is rather rowdy. Within two months of planting it had spread voraciously up to 6-8 feet from its original planting site. Afraid that it would really take over, I finally dug it up, potted it in a 3 gallon container and sank the pot. It has remained contained and bloomed beautifully all summer. It took a while for the volunteers to give up.

if you find any of those salvias, bill, pick me up two or three plants. i'm really happy with my salvia experiments from last year, esp the leucantha and the nikki salvia. there were some miserable failures (the most expensive ones, of course), but by and large they really did the trick for me. zero watering. lots of blooms. well behaved.

6 to 8 feet! Wow. Thanks for the warning, Peachpaws. I still may try it. Those sky blue flowers are so gorgeous in the photos. How tall does it grow for you?

Ill, I haven't decided which salvias I'm going to try. If I go with "Mealycup Sage," which seems to be well behaved, I may just order some seeds at Thompson and Morgan. If I'm successful I'll have plenty of extras. Finding Bog sage may be difficult. I may have to order it some place on-line. I'll let you know.

Bill

S. uglinosa's blue is SO beautiful. Sadly she did not prosper in my previous garden and she has not been seen much in her new garden spot. I'm guessing it wasn't "boggy" enough and never will be unless she's put in a pot with no drainage.

Central Florida may be a better spot than zone 10.

I got my uglinosa at that place outside Orlando, Biosphere? I think that's the name. They had many salvias, mostly species not hybrids.

Thanks for the tip! I'm going to check out biosphere.

I am wondering about the water needs of this plant. If it is truly a bog plant and can't tolerate drought, I shouldn't be trying to grow it because it's going to be in a drier part of the garden. I read in some places it handles drought well, but others say it doesn't. (UF's Edis page says it has "moderate" drought tolerance). Some things I've read suggest it doesn't like "bogs" at all, despite the name.

The reports on Bog salvia's size are also widely varying. Some say it grows 3 or 4 feet, others six or more feet tall! I just don't have room for 6 foot plant.

Maybe Biosphere will be able to give me more information. The mealycup sage seems to be a more practical garden plant but something about bog sage's blue . . .

Bill

Castorp, I got my bog sage at Biosphere also. It has stayed around 2.5 feet since planting in the pot. I whack it down when the spirit moves me, but like you, that color was just a wow, had to have it. I've also moved it from a part sun location to one with more afternoon sun. I don't think it's as happy.

I would be happy to share cuttings if you are near Orlando.

Native Florida plants, even bog plants, have to be able to withstand drought, or they would become extinct. The ditches are bone dry for at least 4 months out of the year. They are specially suited to these conditions, I think, because they always come right back up.

Thanks for the information and the offer, Peachpaws. I think I have the perfect place for it. I'm about forty minutes north of Orlando, but I get down there now and then. I'll send you an e-mail.

Bill

Bog sage didn't survive here either because lack of bogginess. It was beautiful while it lasted though, a true blue color.

FlowerLady

Ah, I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure it wouldn't get enough water on my sand hill then. I told myself I was going to try to cut back on container plantings, but it's tempting to grow it in a pot like Peachpaws just for that blue.

Bill

Bill, I couldn't help but take a minute to respond to this post. If you want to grow salvia farinacea, the best variety I have tried is the one called Victoria Blue. It is often sold as an annual at Home Depot, even though down here it is really a tender perennial. It should last through several seasons, and really adds a great look to the garden. Mine make big clumps reminiscent of lavender, which I can't seem to grow at all. (Except for fernleaf lavender.)

Salvia azurea was stunning...for about six weeks. And then it went downhill quickly. For my money, the hardiest of the blue salvias are salvia leucantha (Mexican sage), salvia guaranitica Black & Blue, Purple Majesty salvia (I think it's a guaranitica, too, but not sure), and for a couple of seasons, salvia farinacea Victoria Blue.

Good luck!

Marcia

Thanks so much for the information, Marcia. I was hoping you'd share your expertise. I'm glad you have such good things to say about Victoria because I just ordered some seeds! I hope to be growing tons of it. I have Salvia black and blue too, and I may bum a cutting of the Mexican sage from Ill mannered some time.

Hope you're doing well. Great to hear from you!

Bill

You are most welcome, Bill. I hope it helped. I have never grown Victorian Blue from seed, so I have no idea how well it will do like that, but probably good. I'm always so eager for instant results, I go get them from HD. You are SMARTER! And obviously more patient.

Good luck!
Marcia

I'm saving this post on my computer, for the next time I get the catalog urge. It happens pretty regularly. I love the real-world, florida specific advice to be had here!