Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Blue Anise Sage bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called Blue Anise Sage, Anise-Scented Sage, Hummingbird Sage (Salvia guaranitica).

More about blue anise sage

About Blue Anise Sage

Salvia guaranitica · also called Blue Anise Sage, Anise-Scented Sage · flowering

Blue anise sage is a tuberous herbaceous perennial native to South America (Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina), valued for its deep blue, two-lipped flowers and strongly anise-scented foliage produced from late summer into autumn. It thrives in full sun to light partial shade in moist but well-drained, moderately fertile soil. The most important care fact is to provide support for its tall stems and cut back spent flower spikes to prolong the long flowering season. Note: Salvia ambigens is a synonym for Salvia guaranitica per Kew/POWO taxonomy. Salvia is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons blue anise sage isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming blue anise sage traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding blue anise sage a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get blue anise sage to flower

Maximise sun. Give blue anise sage the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for blue anise sage and get the feeding right with the blue anise sage fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Blue Anise Sage flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full blue anise sage care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Blue Anise Sage blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my blue anise sage flower?

Blue Anise Sage blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make blue anise sage bloom?

Give blue anise sage the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does blue anise sage normally bloom?