Meadow Sage "May Night"

Multi Buy

Size Guide
3.5
3.5" Perennial
3 or more $6.00 ea
Regularly: $6.99 ea

Meadow Sage "May Night"

Scott's Nursery Ltd.

$6.99
Title

Unleash an elite wave of rich, velvety colour that transforms your garden beds into a show-stopping masterpiece! Celebrated globally for its jaw-dropping performance, this world-renowned, award-winning perennial erupts with dense, perfectly rigid spires of deeply saturated, indigo-blue and violet-purple blossoms. The intense flower torches rise proudly above a dense, uniform mound of large, crinkly, aromatic grey-green leaves. It creates an unmatched, dramatic architectural presence that remains upright, commanding attention all season long.
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Plant Details

Mature Size:

24" H x 24" W

Zone:

4-9

Watering:

Low to Medium

Type:

Hardy Herbaceous Perennial

Growth Rate:

Moderate - Fast

Light:

Full Sun

Plant Profile

Common Names:

May Night Meadow Sage, Mainacht Wood Sage, Woodland Sage, Perennial Garden Sage

Scientific Name:

Salvia x sylvestris 'May Night'

Type:

Thriller / Vertical Structural Perennial / Pollinator Magnet

Growth Details:

Mature Size: 45–60 cm Height x 45–60 cm Spread (approx. 18–24" H x 18–24" W).

Growth Habit: Clump-forming, upright, and tidy mounding habit.

Form: Rigid, erect flower spikes held neatly above a dense, low foliage mound.

Growth Rate: Fast to medium growth rate; quickly establishes its full garden presence.

Flowering: Intensely packed, dense spires of tiny, hooded tubular blossoms.

Flowering Time: Late spring through mid-summer, with reliable repeat blooms stretching into late summer if deadheaded.

Flower Colour: Deep indigo-blue to intense violet-purple.

Environmental Needs:

Exposure: Full Sun (minimum of 6 hours of unshaded sunlight daily for maximum flower density and sturdy stems).

Soil Preferences: Prefers moist, fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soils, but easily adapts to sandy, gravelly, or average soil.

Soil Tolerance: Highly adaptable; thrives in rocky, lean, or sandy grounds, and tolerates heavier clay soil much better than other salvia varieties.

Watering: Low to moderate; enjoys occasional deep soaking but boasts exceptional drought resistance once fully established.

Container Role: An exceptional, structural "Thriller" that provides commanding vertical height, contrast, and vibrant dark colour to large porch or patio arrangements.

Special Features:

Awarded the highly prestigious 1997 Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association for its legendary durability and garden performance. It is exceptionally heat-tolerant, drought-wise, salt-tolerant, features highly fragrant leaves when crushed, and is ignored by grazing pests.
Care Guide

Ornamental & Landscape Value

Seasonal Interest:

Bloom Information: Highly showy, rich indigo spikes blanket the plant canopy starting in late spring, creating a massive early-season color display.

Fall/Winter Colour: The aromatic foliage stays dark, clean green all summer. The plant dies back completely to the ground after a heavy winter freeze and re-sprouts vigorously every spring.

Garden Value:

An essential foundation plant for modern low-water landscapes, cottage borders, pollinator gardens, and rockeries. Excellent for mass planting to create sweeping drifts of deep purple rhythm across a yard. The intense, stiff stems make high-quality, long-lasting fresh or dried cut flowers for indoor arrangements.

Wildlife & Human Value:

Wildlife Value: A true sanctuary plant; the nectar-rich flower tubes are constantly covered with honeybees, native bumblebees, beneficial hoverflies, butterflies, and hungry hummingbirds.

Human Value: Excellent for low-maintenance, water-conscious landscaping, framing walkways with aromatic foliage, and supplying premium, long-lasting cut flowers for home décor.

Planting & Care Guide

Planting Considerations:

Best Time To Plant: Spring or early autumn to take advantage of mild temperatures and seasonal rainfall.

Spacing: Space individual plants 15 to 18 inches (38 to 45 cm) apart from center to center for a lush, unbroken border row.

Location Tips: Select an open, bright site with clear drainage. Avoid low-lying areas where water pools during winter, as soggy winter crowns can stress the plant.

Companion Plants: Pairs stunningly with the silvery foliage of Artemisia 'Powis Castle', the golden yellow plates of Achillea 'Moonshine' (Yarrow), and the fiery contrast of Echinacea 'Sombrero Salsa Red'.

Care:

Plant in an open location that receives direct, full daily sunlight. Provide average, well-draining soil. Water regularly during the first growing season to anchor the root system, then significantly reduce watering frequency. Apply a controlled-release balanced fertilizer once in the early spring. Promptly shear the spent flower stalks back down to the main foliage clump after the initial spring bloom to force quick, multiple reblooming cycles through the summer.

Tolerances:

Deer, rabbits, severe drought, high heat, poor rocky soils, and urban pollution.

Tips For Success:

Core Maintenance: When the first heavy flush of spring flowers begins to look tired or fade, use garden shears to cut the entire plant back by one-third to one-half. This rapidly resets the plant, forcing fresh foliage and a heavy secondary wave of purple flowers.

Support/Staking: None needed; it maintains a stiff, self-supporting upright form in full sun.

Mulching: Apply a thin layer of natural shredded bark around the base to retain moisture during severe heat waves, ensuring the mulch does not directly bury the central crown.
Fruit Profile