Full Sun
Full Sun

This list contains Salvias that have proven themselves to be durable and grow well in full sun in most of the nation. However, please keep in mind that full sun in intense heat -- such as in Texas and the Southwest -- is different than full sun in cooler climates, including the coastal Pacific Northwest. 

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(Mulberry Jam Roseleaf Sage) Magenta flower buds burst into fuzzy, hot pink blossoms in this hybrid sage from the gardens of Betsy Clebsch, author of The New Book of Salvias.

(Mysty Sage) Salvia x ‘Mysty’ is a dwarf version of Mystic Spires Sage and is a dramatic border plant with dark green, corrugated leaves and long blooming flower spikes abundant with deep, violet-blue blossoms.

(Nuevo Leon Hybrid Sage) Imagine tiny, smooth, green leaves and deeper lavender-blue flowers than those of Salvia lycioides x greggii 'San Isidro'. With its midnight purple flowers, Nuevo Leon is a dramatic Salvia greggii hybrid.

(Penny's Smile Hybrid Sage) British Salvia aficionado Robin Middleton, of the indispensable Robin’s Salvias website, developed this lovely and hardy hybrid from a chance seedling he found near the Salvia ‘Silke’s Dream’ in his garden. Heavily textured and hot pink, the 1-inch-long flowers are bright as lipstick.

(Phyllis' Fancy Sage) The parentage of this lavender-flowered hybrid sage is unknown. However, it may be a cross between Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) and Chiapas Sage (S. chiapensis).

(Grey Musk Sage) Lavender flowered, this is a fast-growing, chance hybrid of California Blue Sage (Salvia clevelandii) and California Purple Sage (Salvia leucophylla).

(Purple Stem Sage) Deep purple stems and cobalt blue flowers with pronounced white beelines and dusky gray calyxes cause this sage to command attention.

(Raspberry Truffle Sage) Hybrid sages with Big Mexican Scarlet Sage parentage (Salvia gesnerifolia) tend to have thick clusters of large, deep purple flowers supported by bracts that are almost black.
(Sally Greenwood Sage) Sally Greenwood's small gray-green leaves are a striking backdrop for the complicated, velvety royal purple of its abundant flowers overlaid with a blue sheen. It's an unusual sage both in color and its tight, mounding habit.
(Savannah Blue African Sage) Two South African sages are the parents of this stunning hybrid with large, sky-blue flowers and densely branching, attractively cut foliage. Tough and adaptable, this dry garden plant grows in full sun or partial shade.

(Scarlet Spires Sage) This is a brilliant cross between the sturdy D'Arcy's Sage (Salvia darcyi) and the beautifully colored 'Raspberry Delight' Littleleaf Sage (Salvia microphylla 'Raspberry Delight').

(Starlight Sage) Add sparkle to your dry garden with the pale pastel flowers of this hybrid of two Southern California native plants often seen growing together in the wild — Black Sage (Salvia mellifera) and White Sage (Salvia apiana). Salvia x 'Starlight' is a shrub that blooms early and long, attracting honeybees but not deer.

(Waverly Sage) A pale pink to lavender blush adds delicate color to the white flowers of Waverly Sage, which are supported by plum-colored calyxes. Its mid-green leaves are lance shaped and veined.

(Wendy's Wish Sage) A new hybrid Salvia from Australia, Wendy's Wish is absolutely spectacular! Quick to bloom, compact and tidy in habit, we believe this to be one of the finest of all Salvia varieties.

(White Flame Sage) Like bright white candle flames, the short vigorously upright flower spikes of petite Salvia x ‘White Flame’ light up flowerbeds.

(Auriculate Sage) Both Culinary Sage (Salvia officinalis) and Greek Sage (Salvia fruticosa) are grown in the spice trade as the Sage of commerce. As they are closely related and share much of the same range in the wild, hybrids between the two have been known to exist for a long while. These hybrids go by many names: Newe Ya'ar Sage & Silver Sage being two of the most common. The natural hybrid of these species is found on an island in Croatia, and the accepted name for it is Salvia x auriculata.

(Costa Rica Blue Sage) Although this handsome plant is often listed as an Anise Leaf Sage (Salvia guaranitica), we think it is a hybrid based on differences in its growth pattern and flowering season.

(Caviar Hybrid Jame Sage) Rosy green calyxes support the long-blooming, creamy salmon-pink flowers of this Jame Sage. It creates lots of buzz among honeybees and hummingbirds seeking its rich nectar and pollen. Caviar is a hybrid of Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii) and Mountain Sage (Salvia microphylla).

(Dyson's Orangy Pink Hybrid Jame Sage) Many Salvia x jamensis hybrids remind gardeners of sunrise, such as Dyson's Orangy Pink. Light green calyxes faintly striped with red cup its luminous pale salmon pink blossoms with creamy throats.

(Full Moon Hybrid Jame Sage) The luminescent, bicolor pastels of many Salvia x jamensis are difficult to capture in photos, but easy to appreciate when viewed up close. Full Moon is a compact, long-flowering Jame Sage that has pale, creamy yellow blossoms with a touch of rose that are cupped by dark green calyxes.
(Pink Pearl Jame Sage) Luminescent pink blossoms set against dark stems and calyxes give Salvia x jamensis 'Pink Pearl' an ethereal beauty. Long, lax branches make it an ideal choice for hanging baskets or tall containers.

(Shell Dancer Sage) So many sages combine resilience and loveliness. This includes Salvia 'Shell Dancer', which withstands heat and drought yet has delicate looking blossoms and lush green foliage.

(Tangerine Ballet Hybrid Jame Sage) Soft pinkish-orange flowers with contrasting yellow eyes make this Jame Sage look as tasty as sorbet. Hardy to at least 10 degrees F, Tangerine Ballet is also heat tolerant, drought resistant and long blooming-- all marks of Salvias in the closely related Autumn and Mountain Sage group.

(Yellow Pink Hybrid Jame Sage) Dusty pink with pale yellow throats, the bicolor pastels of this Salvia x jamensis are especially charming up close. 'Yellow Pink' is a compact sage with tiny, smooth foliage.

(Wild Meadow Sage) Meadow sages are native to Europe and include many hybrids. This lush, purple-flowered plant is a wild species that most likely is a hybrid of two ancient sages -- Salvia nemorosa and Salvia pratensis.

(Hybrid Bolivian Sage) This hybrid between Salvia orbignaei and Salvia haenkei occurs in the low-to-mid elevations of the Bolivian Andes. Recreated in the greenhouse from superior patents, this is a select variety with stunning beauty.

(Rocketman Russian Sage) A cloud of cool, lavender-blue flowers shoot upward from the fine-leafed, gray-green foliage of Salvia yangii ‘Rocketman’. This is a shorter, more upright form of Russian Sage, which was known botanically as Perovskia atriplicifolia until 2019 when the species was reclassified as a Salvia.

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