Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Corrugated Sage, Ribbed Sage, Wrinkled-Leaf Sage (Salvia corrugata).

More about corrugated sage

About Corrugated Sage

Salvia corrugata · also called Corrugated Sage, Ribbed Sage · flowering

Salvia corrugata is an evergreen shrub native to the Ecuadorian Andes, where it grows in mountain forest margins. It produces dense whorls of deep purple-blue flowers from summer through autumn and thrives in full sun to partial shade with moderately fertile, well-drained soil. The most important care fact is that while it tolerates brief dry spells once established, consistently moist (never waterlogged) soil keeps it in near-continuous bloom. The ASPCA does not list Salvia corrugata as toxic; the Salvia genus (including common sage) is considered non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons corrugated sage isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming corrugated 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 corrugated 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 corrugated sage to flower

Maximise sun. Give corrugated 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 corrugated sage and get the feeding right with the corrugated 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

Corrugated 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 corrugated sage care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Corrugated Sage blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my corrugated sage flower?

Corrugated 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 corrugated sage bloom?

Give corrugated 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 corrugated sage normally bloom?