I plant this every year because it is a hummingbird magnet. They prefer it over the nectar in the feeder. It's such a gorgeous plant. In our zone it does slightly better in a little light shade: The plants seem to grow larger and flower more heavily. It keeps producing flowers until frost, which is a great advantage in the late season garden.

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Several on-line plant libraries list 'Black & Blue' Salvia as hardy in zones 8-10. This beautiful perennial has, however, been a highly successful perennial in Oklahoma City [zone 7A] for a number of years.
One example: The original one in my garden was purchased 6 years ago as a one gallon plant. Last summer the clump of foliage was 3.5 feet in diameter and the height of the flowering stems was 4.5 feet.
In zone 7 success is best achieved when the plant is heavily mulched and watered during dry periods in the winter.
This salvia prefers well-drained soils. It will tend to be floppy if given too much shade or overly rich soil. Division is best done in the spring.
The height of the plant can be controlled by removing the top third of each stem when they are about 15 inches tall. This will delay flowering somewhat... but the plant blooms throughout the growing season [with deadheading] so this should not be a huge problem.

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Each May I go to one of two conventional, traditional nurseries (garden centers) that sell many good annual flowers that are not sold at any of the big box stores with a garden section as Home Depot, Lowes, K-Mart, etc. and I buy several Black & Blue Sages in pots. I plant them in very big pots on the back deck or close to it, not only for its beauty, but for the female Ruby-throated Hummingbird that comes by during the summer. She really loves the tubular, dark blue-purple flowers of this annual. (She also loves the tubular, orange flowers of the Cigar-Plant Cuphea that I also plant nearby. She does not like the tubular, red flowers of the new dwarf cultivars of the Scarlet Sage. Hummingbirds used to adore the old, large cultivars of Salvia splendens that grew about 2 to 3 feet high.)

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Mine has its 1st flowers of 2018 now, on June 15th. They are a beautiful blue rarely seen in the plant world! I grow it in a large pot in morning sun, but with filtered afternoon light. They fainted every afternoon in full sun no matter how much water they got. They will bloom most of the summer on new growth. I bring them back and forth in my garage in winter when temps drop below 38*, but put them back out on mild days because our zone 9 winters aren't too bad. They are hardy with no noticeable diseases. Only an occasional snail nibbles on the leaves until I find and destroy it.

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When I planted this salvia I wasn't planting it for the hummingbirds; I just liked the color. i have found out this summer that they are gaga over this salvia, they can't get enough of it! I always thought hummingbirds prefer red; at least that is what a lot of books say. I guess hummingbirds don't read the books! This salvia is pretty tough, although I have noticed it seems to need a little more water than other salvias. (I have 9 varieties). If it is deadheaded, it blooms well through the fall.

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Anise-scented Sage (Salvia coerulea 'Black and Blue') is native to South America and is listed as variously hardy in different sources to zone 7a, 7b, or 8a. It is marginally hardy in my zone 7a garden, surviving mild winters but not harsher winters. Its striking deep blue blossoms are a standout in any garden, and the hummers and bees enjoy it. Mine does well in part sun, with either too much or too little sun affecting its ability to bloom.

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I've grown this Salvia for about five years now. It is very happy in my warmest garden which may be zone 8 due to southern exposure and the house wall behind. There it blooms well in full sun and spreads every year. It grows roots along just below the surface and odd, woody tubers. It also lived in average sites here which should be about zone 7, and in some shade, but may not spread or persist long term. I tried storing some tubers dry in the basement but they did not regrow come spring. Tubers do no look like they can be cut apart like potatoes to grow, but rather seem to need to keep the stem they have. Watch bumblebees visit and bite the base of the flower to steal nectar.

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Salvia 'Black and Blue' is a wonderful plant that attracts the hummers! They love the flowers!

Beautiful color of blue!

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Just discovered that a plant I was thinking might be a weed is this! I'm in Zone 6 and can't remember when I planted it or whether it was from a seed or a plant I didn't expect to make it through the winter. I am going to try to save some seeds. It looks pretty ragged due to something eating it, but the flowers are amazing. It's about 30" tall. Next time I will prune it early. Taking some cuttings and thinking about overwintering it indoors.

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Not perennial here in my garden on the north shore Long Island, New York in zone 6/7. It is such a stunning flower with the contrast in the blue flowers that I buy it new and plant it each spring. Very attractive to hummingbirds.

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One of my favorite salvias for both general garden beauty and attracting hummingbirds. Very eye-catching and will sometimes overwinter in the Chicago area. A favorite!

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