Fragrant Sage Picture Gallery
Colorful walkways make home entries attractive. But fragrant walkways make them memorable at the deepest level. Almost all Salvias have scented leaves and many are enchanting. They contain essential oils that can range from light scents to heavy aromas.
Scent awakes memories and enlivens our environment. So scent gardens are powerful for stimulating people who have failing memory or vision problems. The warm scent of sages can remind you of holiday gatherings, long forgotten outdoor hikes and favorite perfumes. The sages we list here have notable, pleasant smells.-
Salvia x 'Bee's Bliss'
-
Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman'
-
Salvia dominica
-
Salvia dorisiana
-
Salvia elegans
-
Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious'
-
Salvia elegans 'Honey Melon'
-
Salvia lanceolata
-
Salvia sclarea 'Wild Form'
-
Salvia spathacea
-
Salvia broussonetii
-
Salvia desoleana
-
Salvia melissodora
-
Salvia spathacea 'Avis Keedy'
-
Salvia taraxacifolia
-
Salvia caymanensis
-
Salvia elegans 'Tangerine'
-
Salvia gravida
-
Salvia brandegeei
-
Salvia x 'Pozo Blue'
-
Salvia hierosolymitana
-
Salvia namaensis
-
Salvia x 'Savannah Blue'
-
Salvia fruticosa
-
Salvia apiana
-
Salvia munzii
-
Salvia somalensis
-
Salvia sclarea var turkestanica 'Piemont'
-
Salvia africana-lutea 'Kirstenbosch'
-
Salvia pomifera subsp. pomifera
-
Salvia spathacea 'Topanga'
-
Salvia spathacea 'Powerline Pink'
-
Salvia spathacea 'Las Pilitas'
-
Salvia x 'Starlight'
-
Salvia 'Dara's Choice'
-
Salvia spathacea 'Elk Rose'
-
Salvia judaica
-
Salvia x 'Celestial Blue'
-
Salvia mellifera 'Terra Seca'
-
Salvia recognita
-
Salvia muirii
-
Salvia eigii
-
Salvia x 'Gayle Nielson'
-
Salvia dolomitica
-
Salvia mellifera 'Jade Carpet'
-
Salvia interrupta
-
Salvia lanigera
-
Salvia schlechteri
-
Salvia brandegeei x munzii 'Pacific Blue'
-
Salvia canariensis f. candidissimum
-
Salvia elegans 'Freida Dixon'
-
Salvia eremostachya
-
Salvia greggii alba x dorisiana
-
Salvia spathacea 'Apricot Rose'
-
Salvia elegans 'Elk Sonoran Red'
-
Salvia x auriculata
-
Salvia apiana var. compacta
-
Salvia sclarea var turkestanica 'Vatican White'
-
Salvia lavandulifolia
Related Blog entries for plants in the Fragrant Sage Picture Gallery
While it's true that not all Salvias smell, well, pleasant, many varieties are grown specifically for the aromatic or even sweet aromas that they release into the air. These ten Salvias are our top picks for the best-smelling varieties in the garden.
Many kinds of Sage were considered sacred in ancient times due to their soothing, medicinal qualities. Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans), which is native to Mexico and Guatemala, is still a highly regarded folk remedy for relieving anxiety, depression and high blood pressure. It is also one of America's most popular culinary sages and is a highlight of the USDA's National Herb Garden.
Make your own deodorizer for your car with a tea infuser and herbs, such as salvia.
Quick Digs is a serial containing short posts focused on a central issue about Salvia gardening. The topic for the first series is Salvia groundcovers for weed control, and this is the first article. Great groundcovers help conserve soil moisture and leave little room for weeds to grow. This is true of many colorful, fragrant Salvias that spread freely. However, it may be that the essential oils creating the pleasant aromas of many Salvias are also helpful in suppressing weeds. Many researchers refer to this apparent trait as the “Salvia phenomenon.”
Colorful plantings make entryways attractive. Even better are pretty plantings that are fragrant and provide a sensory lift before you journey indoors. Scent wakes up memories and makes us see in a different way. Here are eight sensible suggestions for adding lovely scents to your landscape.
You might expect the foliage of a plant called Anise-Scented Sage (Salvia guaranitica) to smell robustly like licorice, which shares the same fragrance as anise. Some gardeners detect a hint of licorice after crushing a leaf, but many say the foliage merely smells sweet. These popular sages are native to Brazil where indigenous peoples used their leaves as a medicine. Flowers by the Sea grows many varieties in a wide range of sizes and flower colors
Fragrant Salvias and companion plants are excellent choices for entryways. Drought-tolerant plants from naturally dry climates, such as the three featured here, often have a pleasant, resinous fragrance that lingers in memory. Flowers by the Sea promotes water conservation by posting "drought praise" for favorite xeric (low water) plants. Here we suggest three pleasingly fragrant choices for a border making the entry to your home soothing and welcoming.
Pruning makes some people nervous. Am I doing too much or too little? Will I kill the plant? Is this the right time? Salvia specialist and longtime horticulturist Kermit Carter, co-owner of Flowers by the Sea Farm and Online Mail-Order Nursery, describes the pruning of Tangerine Scented Sage and answers all these questions. This video is part of the FBTS Everything Salvias Blog series Views from the Garden.
Gardeners interested in developing wildlife habitat on balconies or in backyards can acquire certification
Long before the West Coast was colonized, California Indians used Black Sage (Salvia mellifera Greene) for food and medicinal purposes. Today, it often is bundled in smudge sticks used like incense during purification rituals. Another reason to consider Black Sage sacred is that, among the state’s native plants, it is one of the most important sources of nectar for pollinators. Nineteenth century botanist and clergyman Edward Lee Greene made the plant’s botanical name official in 1892 when he was the first person to publish it in a scientific journal. Among California's native Salvias, it is the easiest to grow in home gardens.
Salvias are good additions to sensory gardens, because of their fragrance, texture and visual appeal. Plants with sensory appeal stir memory.
Name | Mature height | Mature width | Flower color | Bract color | Exposure |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Salvia x 'Bee's Bliss' | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia clevelandii 'Winnifred Gilman' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia dominica | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Yellowish white | Light Gray | Full sun |
Salvia dorisiana | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Vivid Purplish Red | Strong Yellowish Green | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia elegans | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious' | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Vivid Red | Strong Yellowish Green | Partial shade |
Salvia elegans 'Honey Melon' | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Vivid Red | Moderate Olive Green | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia lanceolata | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Moderate Red | Grayish Reddish Orange | Full sun |
Salvia sclarea 'Wild Form' | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia spathacea | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia broussonetii | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia desoleana | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Very Pale Purple | Moderate Yellowish Green | Full sun |
Salvia melissodora | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Light Violet | Moderate Yellowish Green | Full sun |
Salvia spathacea 'Avis Keedy' | 1 to 2 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Light Greenish Yellow | Strong Yellowish Green | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia taraxacifolia | 1 foot or less | 1 foot or less | Light Purple | Moderate Yellowish Green | Full sun |
Salvia caymanensis | 1 foot or less | 1 foot or less | Brilliant Purplish Blue | Dark Red | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia elegans 'Tangerine' | 1 to 2 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Deep Yellowish Pink | Moderate Red | Partial shade |
Salvia gravida | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia brandegeei | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia x 'Pozo Blue' | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia hierosolymitana | 1 foot or less | 1 foot or less | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia namaensis | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia x 'Savannah Blue' | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia fruticosa | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia apiana | 4 to 5 feet | 4 to 5 feet | Yellowish white | Yellowish Gray | Full sun |
Salvia munzii | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia somalensis | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia sclarea var turkestanica 'Piemont' | 3 to 4 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia africana-lutea 'Kirstenbosch' | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Moderate Orange | Grayish Brown | Full sun |
Salvia pomifera subsp. pomifera | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia spathacea 'Topanga' | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Deep Pink | Moderate Purplish Red | Partial shade |
Salvia spathacea 'Powerline Pink' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Vivid Purplish Red | Moderate Red | Partial shade |
Salvia spathacea 'Las Pilitas' | 1 foot or less | 1 foot or less | Strong Purplish Red | Dark Red | Partial shade |
Salvia x 'Starlight' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia 'Dara's Choice' | 1 to 2 feet | 6 feet plus | Light Purplish Blue | Dark Red | Full sun |
Salvia spathacea 'Elk Rose' | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Strong Purplish Red | Dark Red | Partial shade |
Salvia judaica | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia x 'Celestial Blue' | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia mellifera 'Terra Seca' | 1 to 2 feet | 5 to 6 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia recognita | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia muirii | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia eigii | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia x 'Gayle Nielson' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia dolomitica | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Light Purple | Dark Pink | Full sun |
Salvia mellifera 'Jade Carpet' | 1 to 2 feet | 5 to 6 feet | Very Pale Violet | Dark Red | Full sun |
Salvia interrupta | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Light Violet | Moderate Yellowish Green | Full sun |
Salvia lanigera | 1 foot or less | 1 foot or less | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia schlechteri | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun | ||
Salvia brandegeei x munzii 'Pacific Blue' | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Light Violet | Dark Red | Full sun |
Salvia canariensis f. candidissimum | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia elegans 'Freida Dixon' | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia eremostachya | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Strong Violet | Brilliant Purplish Blue | Full sun |
Salvia greggii alba x dorisiana | 3 to 4 feet | 3 to 4 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia spathacea 'Apricot Rose' | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun to partial shade |
Salvia elegans 'Elk Sonoran Red' | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Strong Red | Moderate Red | Full sun |
Salvia x auriculata | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet+ | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia apiana var. compacta | 2 to 3 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia sclarea var turkestanica 'Vatican White' | 3 to 4 feet | 2 to 3 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |
Salvia lavandulifolia | 1 to 2 feet | 1 to 2 feet | Not yet defined * | Not yet defined * | Full sun |