Image – Wikimedia/Hectonichus
Sage is a very grateful plant: whether we have it in a pot or choose to plant it in the garden, it will flower without difficulty for years. It is also quite easy to maintain, as it takes very little to be perfect. Now well, Have you ever bought one but only seen it bloom once?
This, although at first it may be somewhat curious, it can happen. In fact, it’s a fairly common problem that cultivated plants tend to have, and not just sage. So here I will first explain to you how are the sage flowers, and then I will give you some very practical tips so that you can make your specimen bloom again.
Contents
What are the characteristics of sage flowers?
Image – Flickr/Carl Lewis
Before you begin, it is important that you know that The genus Salvia is made up of about 800 species, the majority of which are American (about 500 in total), but there are also quite a few European and Asian species.. In addition to this, we distinguish the grasses (and among them there are those that live only one year, those that live two years, and others that are perennial), and the undershrubs or bushes, which are those that, in addition to living for several years, develop woody or semi-woody stems.
If we only talk about the flowers, all types of salvia produce them in groups called inflorescences.. These inflorescences can be clusters or panicles. The size of these is quite large: they usually measure about 20 centimeters. Also to say that they are composed of flowers of about 1-2 centimeters, tubular or bell-shaped. The corolla is claw-shaped and has two “lips”: the upper, usually entire, and the lower, divided into two lobes.
Out of curiosity, also say that they are hermaphrodites. This means that they have both male and female parts on the same flower. Such a flower is usually, by the way, red, lilac or lilac-bluish in color.
When does sage bloom?
Depending on species and climate, sage can bloom virtually any season of the year. In general, it does this between spring and summer, but if, for example, the winter is warm, then it could bloom. It all depends on how the plant is. Even so, here I tell you a small list with the most popular species and when they bloom:
- nemorous sage: the summer.
- Salvia officinalis: the summer. See file.
- clary sage: the summer. See file.
- Sage splendens: Autumn Spring. See file.
- superb sap: Spring summer.
- sage verbena: Spring summer. See file.
Why isn’t my sage flowering?
Now let’s talk about why salvia only bloomed once (or not at all) and what to do to get it to bloom. and that’s why it is important to start with the basics: this plant needs a lot of light (in fact, it is best placed in direct sunlight) for it to produce its flowers. This is why it should not be grown in shade or low light locations, or placed near taller plants that can provide shade.
Another important question is check if you have your basic needs blankets; that is to say: is it well watered? Is it paid regularly? Do you have pests? Sage flowers will not be able to sprout if the plant has a problem. To find out if everything is okay, I recommend that you do the following:
- Inspect the leaves for insects. This plant can have various pests throughout its life, such as spider mites, thrips, leafminers or whiteflies. If you have a magnifying glass, I advise you to use it to look for them, because it will be very, very useful because these insects can go unnoticed. In case you have any, do not hesitate to apply a treatment with an ecological insecticide, such as diatomaceous earth (you can buy it here) of which I leave you a video below.
- Check soil moisture. Sage is not a plant that can go without water for a long time, because it does not have fleshy leaves like coarse ones, or tuberous roots. But excess water will also hurt you; that is, if we decide to acquire a sage, we must find half the way and water it as needed. For this, a simple wooden or plastic stick will serve you. If you put it in the ground all the way, then when you take it out you will see if it is dry or wet. Based on this, you will know whether to water or not.
- Fertilize your sage during the growing months so it can grow and flourish. Use organic fertilizers so as not to harm the environment (there are many beneficial insects, such as bees or butterflies, which visit its flowers to feed), following the instructions for use on the packaging.
- If it is in a pot, check to see if the roots are sticking out of the holes.. It is important that it is planted in a taller whenever it happens (in the spring), because the lack of space can delay or even suspend flowering. Put it in the one that has holes in its base, with a universal culture medium (on sale here).
Hope this can help you.