Salvia nemorosa Lubecca - Sauge des bois

The Salvia nemorosa 'Lubecca', also known as Wood Sage or Forest Sage, is a perennial plant that is erect and well-branched, offering an abundance of spike-like inflorescences in a blue-mauve colour, almost electric, intense and bright, from early to late summer. Compact and bushy, this sage is also distinguished by its lanceolate, slightly grey foliage, which is aromatic when crushed. Easy to grow, it is one of the hardiest sages.

Wood Sage (Salvia nemorosa) is a plant species in the Lamiaceae family. This perennial herbaceous plant is native to central Europe and western Asia. 'Lubecca' is one of its many cultivars, a sport derived from the selection 'East Friesland'. Its adult size will not exceed 50 cm (20in) in all directions. This perennial develops from a prostrate rosette of oval, rough leaves with dentate edges, measuring 10 cm (4in) long. It has a bushy, highly branched and compact habit. The flowering, particularly spread out, takes place from June to September, in terminal clusters composed of numerous small flowers (0.5 to 1 cm (0in)) in delphinium blue with purple bracts. This mixture of colours produces a strong and bright blue-violet effect. The beautiful nectar-rich flower spikes succeed each other throughout the summer and delight butterflies. The leaves, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4in) long, are ovate or lanceolate, oblong, dentate, puckered, and greyish green. The base of the stems is often reddish.

'Lubecca' has the advantage of remaining compact, even in soil that is slightly too rich. It knows how to hold its shape! It will look superb alongside pale yellow flowering plants such as Anthemis 'Wargrave' for a strong contrast, or with grey foliage of artemisias and pink flowering plants. It is also perfect for creating massifs and borders alongside Perovskia, Artemisia, or perennial Geraniums.

With more than 900 species of annuals, perennials, and softwood shrubs distributed all over the world, except in very cold regions and tropical forests, the genus Salvia is the richest in the Lamiaceae family. The name Salvia, which dates back to Roman times, derives from the Latin salvus 'healthy' in reference to the medicinal properties of common sage.