Getting it to bloom

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

Also called Lavender-leaved sage, Blue sage (Salvia lavandulacea).

More about lavender-leaved sage

About Lavender-leaved Sage

Salvia lavandulacea · also called Lavender-leaved sage, Blue sage · flowering

Salvia lavandulacea is a slender, aromatic perennial sage native to the Western Cape and drier parts of southern Africa, where it grows in fynbos-influenced scrubland. It produces wiry, upright stems with lavender-like grey-green foliage and bright blue flowers over a long season from late spring through autumn. It requires full sun, excellent drainage, and a frost-free or nearly frost-free environment, making it a tender perennial in most of the UK and northern US. This species is not listed on the ASPCA database; treat as mildly toxic to pets as a precaution.

Plant type: flowering

The reasons lavender-leaved sage isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming lavender-leaved 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 lavender-leaved 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 lavender-leaved sage to flower

Maximise sun. Give lavender-leaved 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 lavender-leaved sage and get the feeding right with the lavender-leaved 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

Lavender-leaved 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 lavender-leaved sage care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Lavender-leaved Sage blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my lavender-leaved sage flower?

Lavender-leaved 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 lavender-leaved sage bloom?

Give lavender-leaved 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 lavender-leaved sage normally bloom?