All sages have square stems and whorls of two-lipped flowers, either distinctly spaced along flower stalks or so tightly crowded that they look like one dense spike; some species have branched inflorescences. Flower colors range from white and yellow through salmon and pink to scarlet and pure red, from pale lavender to true blue and darkest purple. A few sages have fragrant blossoms. Many have aromatic foliage. Sages attract hummingbirds, bees, butterflies.

Salvia officinalis

Traditional culinary and medicinal sage. To 1–3 ft. tall, 1–2 1/2 ft. wide; stems often root where they touch soil. Aromatic, oval to oblong,wrinkled, 2–3-in. leaves are gray green above, white and hairy beneath. Branching, 8–12- in. stems bear loose, spikelike clusters of 1-in. flowers in late spring, summer. Usual color is lavender blue, but violet, red violet, pink, and white forms exist. Delay pruning until new leaves begin to unfurl, then cut just above fresh growth; cutting into bare wood usually causes dieback.