Woodland Sage Salvia × sylvestris 'Dear Anja'

👤 Non-toxic to humans

🐾 Non-toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

The plant 'Dear Anja' is a striking perennial known for its robust and vibrant flowers. Bearing a color palette that ranges from deep violet to a rich blue-purple, the plant's blossoms are a magnet for garden admirers and pollinators like bees and butterflies. Each individual flower is a small, tubular structure that comes together in whorls to form dense, spike-like clusters known as inflorescences. These showy spikes emerge atop the foliage, adding a burst of color that stands out in any garden setting. The foliage of 'Dear Anja' consists of green leaves that are typically oval or lance-shaped, often with a textured surface that can be described as wrinkled or crinkled. The leaves are arranged in an opposite fashion, where pairs of leaves grow at the same level but on opposite sides of the stem, creating a symmetrical appearance. This lush green backdrop serves to accentuate the intensity of the flower spikes. This plant has a bushy habit, with stems that can be straight or slightly leaning, forming an attractive cluster. Its overall structure allows it to blend seamlessly with other plants in ornamental gardens, borders, and flower beds, contributing to the garden's aesthetics throughout the blooming season.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Synonyms
  Dear Anja Sage, Dear Anja Woodland Sage, Dear Anja Meadow Sage.
- Common names
  Salvia × sylvestris 'Dear Anja'.
Toxicity
- To humans
  The most common common name for Salvia × sylvestris is Woodland Sage. Woodland Sage is not generally considered toxic to humans. However, it is always advisable to avoid ingesting plants that are not specifically grown or known to be safe for human consumption, as individual sensitivities or allergic reactions could potentially occur. If a person were to ingest a part of Woodland Sage and experience adverse symptoms, it is important to seek medical advice.
- To pets
  Woodland Sage is also the most common common name when referring to Salvia × sylvestris in the context of pets. Woodland Sage is not commonly known to be toxic to pets, such as dogs and cats. However, as with humans, pets may have individual sensitivities, and ingestion of plant material can sometimes lead to gastrointestinal upset such as vomiting or diarrhea. If a pet ingests this plant and displays symptoms, it is advisable to consult a veterinarian.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Blue
- Height
  2 feet (0.61 meters)
- Spread
  2 feet (0.61 meters)
- Plant type
  Herb
- Hardiness zones
  4
- Native area
  Cultivar

Benefits

General Benefits
- Attracts Pollinators: 'Dear Anja' is known to attract bees and butterflies, which are essential for the pollination of many plants.
- Aesthetic Appeal: With its vibrant purple-blue flowers, it adds color and beauty to any garden or landscape.
- Drought Resistance: Once established, it has good tolerance for dry conditions, requiring less watering compared to many other plants.
- Easy to Grow: This variety is generally easy to care for and does not require expert gardening skills to thrive.
- Cold Hardy: It is capable of withstanding cooler temperatures, making it suitable for a variety of climates.
- Deer Resistant: 'Dear Anja' is not a preferred food source for deer, reducing the likelihood of damage from grazing.
- Long Blooming Period: It flowers for an extended period of time from late spring to early fall, providing long-lasting visual interest.
Medical Properties
This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Salvia 'Dear Anja' can be used as a natural dye for fabrics, offering hues ranging from green to yellow depending on the mordant used.
- The plant's sturdy stems can be used in basket weaving, providing a natural and rustic aesthetic to the craft.
- When dried, the leaves and flowers can serve as aromatic potpourri, due to their pleasant fragrance, enhancing the scent profile of a room.
- Salvia 'Dear Anja' can be utilized in educational gardens to teach pollinator attraction, as it is known for drawing bees and butterflies.
- The flowers are edible and can be used to garnish desserts or salads, adding a colorful flourish to dishes.
- Salvia 'Dear Anja' can be included in a dye garden, a themed garden specifically for plants used in natural dyeing processes.
- The plant can be used as a natural pest repellent in the garden, as its scent is disliked by certain insects.
- When planted in mass, Salvia 'Dear Anja' can act as a groundcover, reducing soil erosion in sloped gardens.
- The flowers can be used in crafting homemade soaps for their color and fragrance, contributing to a unique sensory experience.
- Its vibrant flowers can be used in floral photography to teach or practice macro photography techniques due to their intricate details.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The Salvia is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The Salvia is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Healing: The genus Salvia is associated with healing due to its medicinal properties in various cultures. The species name 'sylvestris' means 'of the woods', emphasizing a connection with nature and natural remedies.
- Wisdom: Salvia comes from the Latin word 'salvere' which means 'to be in good health' or 'to save', implying wisdom and the ability to make good choices that lead to well-being.
- Immortality: Throughout history, various Salvia species have been thought to promote longevity and possibly immortality, symbolizing a quest for lasting life and enduring legacy.
- Sacredness: Some species of Salvia are considered sacred and are used in spiritual practices for purification and to achieve a closer connection with the divine.
- Conservation: With 'sylvestris' meaning 'of the woods', this plant symbolizes the importance of preserving natural woodland habitats and the ecosystems they support.

💧

Every 1-2 weeks

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every 2-3 years

Repotting

🌱️

Spring-Early Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
The Woodland Sage 'Dear Anja' should be watered regularly, particularly during dry spells, to maintain consistently moist soil. As a general rule, provide the plant with approximately 1 inch of water per week, either from rainfall or manual watering. During the peak of summer or in particularly hot and dry climates, you may need to water twice a week. Always check the top inch of soil before watering; if it feels dry, it's time to water. It's important to avoid overwatering, as Woodland Sage does not like to sit in soggy soil.
Light
Woodland Sage 'Dear Anja' thrives best in full sun to partial shade. It should be placed in a spot where it can receive at least six hours of sunlight daily. While it can tolerate some shade, too much shade can lead to leggy growth and fewer blooms. Therefore, an ideal location would be one that gets plenty of morning sunlight and some afternoon shade, especially in hotter climates.
Temperature
Woodland Sage 'Dear Anja' performs well in a wide range of temperatures, making it a resilient choice for many gardens. While it can tolerate temperatures down to about 20 degrees Fahrenheit, it thrives in an ideal range from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. To ensure healthy growth and flowering, avoid extreme temperature fluctuations and protect the plant from harsh winter conditions, using mulch if necessary.
Pruning
Pruning Woodland Sage 'Dear Anja' is essential to encourage healthy growth and prolific blooming. Cut the plant back by one-third after the initial flowering to promote a second bloom period. Pruning is also recommended in early spring to remove any dead or damaged growth from the winter. The best time for significant pruning is immediately after flowering or in early spring before new growth begins.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
Meadow sage 'Dear Anja' thrives in well-draining, loamy soil enriched with compost. A balanced soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0 is ideal for this perennial.
Repotting
Meadow sage 'Dear Anja' does not need frequent repotting; do it only when the plant outgrows its container, typically every 2-3 years.
Humidity & Misting
Meadow sage 'Dear Anja' tolerates average outdoor humidity levels, without requiring any special humidity adjustments.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place in a sunny spot, ensure good airflow for Meadow sage.
- Outdoor
  Plant in full sun, well-draining soil, water moderately.
- Hardiness zone
  4-9 USDA
Life cycle
Salvia × sylvestris 'Dear Anja', commonly known as Meadow Sage, begins its life cycle when the seeds are sown in early spring. The seeds germinate and young seedlings emerge, which then develop into mature plants with sturdy stems and deep green foliage. Throughout late spring to summer, Meadow Sage enters its flowering stage, producing striking, dense spikes of purple-blue flowers that are highly attractive to pollinators. After the flowering peak, the flowers fade, and the plant may produce seeds that can be collected for propagation or allowed to self-sow. In autumn, as temperatures drop, Meadow Sage's above-ground growth dies back, and the plant enters dormancy, surviving winter through its hardy roots. With the warmth of spring, the cycle restarts as new growth emerges from the plant's perennial base.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring-Early Summer
- Salvia × sylvestris 'Dear Anja', commonly known as Sage, is typically propagated through stem cuttings. The ideal time for taking stem cuttings is in late spring or early summer, when the plant's growth is most vigorous. To propagate using stem cuttings, one should cut a 3- to 4-inch (approximately 7.5 to 10 centimeters) portion of the stem from a healthy parent plant, making sure that there are at least a couple of leaf nodes on the cutting. The lower leaves should be removed, and the cut end may be dipped in rooting hormone before being planted in a well-draining soil mix. The cutting should then be kept moist and in indirect light until roots have established, after which it can be transplanted to its final location.