If you are a blue flower lover, today’s blog is specifically for you! Today we are comparing 3 varieties of salvia that all perform wonderfully here in San Antonio, Texas. These gorgeous salvias all produce abundant blue blooms, beckon to the pollinators, and require little maintenance in return for their spectacular displays. Ready to see which blue salvia, ‘Mysty’, Mystical’, or ‘Mystic Spires’, is the perfect salvia for you? Let’s dig in. (All images: BallFloraPlant)
Mystical™ Blue Salvia
Compact and tidy, Mystical™ Blue is ideal for gardeners looking for big color in a smaller package. Reaching just 12–18 inches tall and wide, it fits beautifully in smaller containers or mixed arrangements, edging, small garden beds, or the front of perennial borders. It blooms continuously from spring until frost, producing vivid violet-blue flower spikes that attract bees and butterflies throughout the growing season. Its naturally compact habit means it typically requires little pruning to stay neat.
Although we are tooting the brilliance of blue flowers in this blog, we would be doing a disservice if we didn’t mention that Mystical™ salvia also comes in white. Whoohoo!
Best for:
- Small landscapes
- Containers and patio pots
- Front of flower beds
- Continuous color with minimal maintenance
Image: BallFloraPlant
Mysty® Salvia
Mysty® salvia grows about the same height of Mystical™ Blue salvia (12-18″), forms a nicely rounded shape and creates a fuller presence in landscape beds.. It offers the same long bloom season and excellent heat tolerance. Flowers are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making it an outstanding pollinator plant.
Best for:
- Mixed perennial beds
- Medium-sized borders
- Mass plantings
- Pollinator gardens
Image: BallFloraPlant
Mystic Spires™ Salvia
If you’re looking for height and drama, Mystic Spires™ is the standout. Growing 18-30″ tall, it produces long, elegant flower spikes that create vertical interest in the landscape. It works especially well toward the back of borders or planted in groups where its taller stems create a striking display. Like the others, it thrives in Texas heat and continues blooming from spring until frost with occasional deadheading.
Best for:
- Large landscape beds
- Background plantings
- Vertical accents
- Filling larger spaces with long-lasting color
Image: BallFloraPlant
What They All Have in Common
All three varieties are excellent choices for Texas gardens because they:
- Thrive in full sun
- Bloom from spring through frost
- Are heat tolerant
- Become drought tolerant once established
- Attract beneficial pollinators
- Resist deer browsing
- Prefer well-drained soil
- Require very little maintenance
Quick Care Salvia Tips
- Plant in full sun in well-draining soil.
- Water deeply, regularly in first growing season to establish root system; once established, reduce frequency.
- Remove spent blooms to encourage rebloom and fuller foliage.
- Hard prune and apply fertilizer (Rainbow Bloom) before new growth begins in early spring.
Salvias are simply some of the best options for a long bloom season in an easy-to-grow perennial for our climate here in San Antonio. Your choice comes down to the space you have and how you wish to display these brilliant blue blooms. We are always excited to share varieties of plants that prove themselves as worthy of a spot in Texas landscapes and on our decks, patios and balconies. These have definitely earned that designation. We hope you love them as much as we do. See our quick comparison chart here.
~The Happy Gardener, Lisa Mulroy
