Mystic Spires Improved Sage (Salvia 'Balsalmispim' MYSTIC SPIRES)
SAL-vee-ah 'Balsalmispim' MYSTIC SPIRES

Deciduous Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) in the Lamiaceae Family

About Sages

Salvia is a garden overachiever in a purple suit—blooming nonstop, buzzing with bees, and totally unfazed by Chicagoland's heat or humidity. It's low-maintenance, deer-resistant, and pollinator-approved. Whether you want bold color, fragrant foliage, or a butterfly magnet, Salvia delivers. Plant it once, and enjoy the encore all season long.

Perennial Salvias (also known as “sage”) are mainstays of the midsummer garden border—blooming summer to autumn! Planted in the spring, these aromatic beauties are great for cutting and beloved by bees and butterflies. They are also drought-tolerant.

Part of the mint family (Lamiaceae), salvias appear as a colorful spike of densely-packed flowers with tubular blossoms atop square stems and velvety leaves. Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the sage family Lamiaceae, with nearly 1000 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. 

Hummingbirds and butterflies love salvia’s tubular flowers and they’re adored by bees, too, so plant them if you wish to attract these pretty pollinators!

Fortunately, salvia does not tend to attract deer or rabbits. It is the distinctive, pungent odor of their leaves that acts as a repellent to garden pests.

Pros

  • A top choice for pollinator gardens: Salvia's tubular flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds 
  • Long bloom season
  • Wide variety of colors and sizes
  • Deer, rabbit, and drought tolerant

Cons

  • Be sure to check the label: Only some Salvias are cold hardy...
  • Deadheading and pruning may be needed for best blooms and appearance
  • Relatively short-lived perennials
 

Plant Data

Tags Annual in Chicago, Attracts Birds, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Extended Bloom Time, Filler, Formal Garden, Fragrant Flowers, Fragrant Foliage, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Dried Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Good for Rain Garden, Low Maintenance, Most Popular, Non-Allergenic, Normal Soil, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Tender Perennial, Thrillers, Tolerant of Hot Dry Site, Tolerant of Moist Soil, Tolerant of Salt, Well-Drained Soil
Flower Color
 

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Flowers of Mystic Spires Improved Sage
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Pricing and Availability History

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Limited Availability

We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!


Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!