Salvia Growing Guide
Growing Salvia is easier than you think. This guide walks you through everything you need — from planting your first seed to harvesting.
At a Glance
Difficulty
Easy
Category
Flower
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Frost Tolerance
Frost Hardy
Cold Hardiness
Survives to -23°C
Plant Family
Lamiaceae
Growing Season
Warm Season
Plant Lifecycle
Perennial
Also grows well as
How to Start It
★ Recommended for beginners
Take soft tip cuttings in late spring/summer; they root in a couple of weeks — the easiest way to bulk up or save tender types over winter.
Ornamental salvias (the flowering 'sages', and a relative of the culinary herb) are pollinator powerhouses — spires of nectar-rich flowers that bees and hummingbirds work all summer, on tough, drought-tolerant plants. There's a salvia for everyone: hardy perennial types that return each year, and tender ones grown as annuals or overwintered. The key to a long show is cutting back after the first flush — they rebloom generously. (Distinct from culinary sage, grown for its leaves.)
When To Start
First Chance to Plant
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Last Chance to Plant
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When should you plant Salvia?
Your planting dates depend on your local climate. Sign up and add your location to unlock personalized dates.
Your Salvia Planting Window
Start planting
May 15, 2026
Last chance
Sep 10, 2026
The Journey Ahead
Salvia's Lifecycle
Seedling
Mature Plant
Seed Production
Step 2
Planting & Sprouting
Growing Tips
- 1Full sun and free-draining soil are all most salvias need — they actively prefer lean conditions and shrug off drought, so don't pamper or overwater them.
- 2The one trick for months of colour is the mid-season cut-back.
- 3Hardy perennial types return yearly; tender ones (like the vivid red bedding salvias) are grown fresh each year or overwintered as cuttings indoors.
Seedling Phase
Step 3
Growth & Maturity
60 cm
Mature Height
50 cm
Mature Width
Pests to Watch For
Diseases to Watch For
Mature Plant
Step 4
Harvesting
When to Pick
Blooms early summer to frost, especially if cut back after the first flush
How to Harvest
- 1After the first big flush of flowers fades, shear the plant back by about a third — it rebounds with a fresh wave of bloom, often repeating into autumn.
- 2Deadhead spikes through the season.
- 3Leave the final autumn growth on hardy types over winter for a little frost protection, then cut back in spring.
- 4Take cuttings of tender varieties before frost to carry them over.
Step 5
Saving Seeds
Seed Production
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