Salvia verbenaca L.
Wild Clary
Wild clary, also called wild sage, is a native British perennial of the mint family with a rather rugged appearance. It forms a rosette of dark green, wrinkled and irregularly lobed leaves, from which square, upright stems rise to bear loose whorls of small, two-lipped violet-blue flowers from late spring through summer.
About
Wild clary, also called wild sage, is a native British perennial of the mint family with a rather rugged appearance. It forms a rosette of dark green, wrinkled and irregularly lobed leaves, from which square, upright stems rise to bear loose whorls of small, two-lipped violet-blue flowers from late spring through summer. The flowers are sometimes only partly open, and the bracts and calyces give the spikes a slightly bristly look.
It favours dry, sunny, well-drained ground, growing on grassland, banks, roadside verges, churchyards and coastal grassland, often on calcareous or sandy soils. The nectar-rich flowers are worked by bees and other insects, and as a hardy, drought-tolerant native it is a good choice for sunny meadows, dry banks and wildflower seed mixes on light, lime-rich soils. Its tolerance of poor, free-draining conditions makes it useful where more demanding species struggle.
Also known as
Wild Sage · vervain sage
Synonyms
Gallitrichum anglicum · Gallitrichum arvale · Gallitrichum candollei · Gallitrichum clandestinum · Gallitrichum dichroanthum · Gallitrichum horminioides · Gallitrichum maculatum · Gallitrichum pallidiflorum · Gallitrichum ptychophyllum · Gallitrichum rosulatum · Gallitrichum rubellum · Gallitrichum stereocaulon
In our seed mixes
Beta — under active development. This catalogue is still being built and accuracy-checked. The information here (including plant identifications, British native status, soil and sun/shade preferences) is provided in good faith for general guidance only and may contain errors or omissions. It must not be relied upon on its own — please confirm details with us before making planting, specification, foraging or purchasing decisions, and never eat or medicinally use any plant based on this catalogue alone, as some species are toxic. To the extent permitted by law, Phoenix Amenity Supplies accepts no liability for any loss arising from use of this information.