Lyreleaf Sage is a gorgeous Florida native, with blue/lavender flowers and its leaves are normally green in color, but this cultivar (Purple Knockout) is known for its beautiful deep purple foliage. It is a low maintenance ground cover plant that grows best in full sun, but can tolerate partial shade and prefers well-draining moist soil. Lyreleaf Sage blooms in the Spring and provides a valuable nectar source to a variety of butterflies and other pollinators. A must have for any wildflower garden!
How to care for Purple Knockout Lyreleaf Sage
Light. Full sun to partial shade.
Water. Water regularly while it settles in. It likes soil that stays moist but not soggy. Once established it handles heat, humidity and short dry spells.
Soil and feeding. Lyreleaf sage grows in sand, clay or loam of poor to average fertility, as long as it drains. It tolerates occasional flooding, so it suits rain gardens.
Size. Grows to about 1.5 ft in bloom, from a low rosette of leaves 6–12 in wide.
Pruning. It reseeds easily, so keep it out of manicured lawns. Cut off spent flower stalks before the seed capsules dry if you want fewer seedlings.
Problems to watch. Insects and diseases are seldom a significant problem.
Good to know. The wild species is a Florida native that blooms in spring. Butterflies, bees and hummingbirds visit the flowers, and goldfinches eat the seed. It does not tolerate salt spray.
Sources: Florida Native Plant Society Plant Database: Salvia lyrata · NC State Extension Plant Toolbox: Salvia lyrata
