Lilac Sage

Salvia verticillata is a honeybee favorite! It is in the mint family, but does not spread by rhizome (it does readily self-seed, however). It is very easy to grow, and is extremely resilient in poor, hot, dry soils. It forms an attractive clump ~1.5' x 1.5' of sage green leaves with a subtle herbal fragrance when brushed, and sends up stems with tiny two-lipped, lilac-purple flowers packed in stacked whorls. When kept deadheaded, it will bloom from June through frost; the longest blooming plant in my yard. Deadhead as you would basil, and occasionally trim back whole stems when it gets leggy to make it tidy; it will soon create new flower stems. Because it does self-seed so readily, I would recommend this plant for those who are willing to deadhead. For me, seeing the honeybees choose this plant over almost all others makes it worth it! Plus, I rarely have ever watered it, even in poor soil during prolonged drought!