Salvia, Blue Mealy Cup Sage, Duelberg Sage 'Henry Duelberg'

Been growing these about five years now (including white variant "Augusta Duelberg"). Once established, they perform best with cutting ba...Read Moreck to about 6" in late winter. This stimulates the spring flower show, though it flowers until first frost. I have to cut it back some during the summer, or it takes over and crowds my other plants. I provide fresh mulch at least once a year, in spring, sometimes in fall, too. That's it: no irrigation, no fertilizer, no fungicides. They provide nectar to native bees, bumblebees, Monarchs and native butterflies like Swallowtails (Black and Eastern Tiger) and Painted Lady. Last year, I found healthy seedlings sprouting in my garden, so this plant is naturalizing, a sign it's content with my benign neglect. Texas A&M considers it heat and drought tolerant. I agree. My experience shows it survives in dry soils and lives on rainfall, thriving in my xeric front yard.

This is a great plant for the heat and humidity of Central Texas.
I planted 6 in the spring and they just took off blooming and to...Read Moreday November 17th they’re still glorious. I’ve only dead headed them twice, just to gather seed. The bees love them. They need very little water and I’ve found no pest or disease so far.

My Henry Duelberg is leggy and looks like it has mildew. Other than 6" of rain in July, it was a dry spring and summer. When do I cut it back?

I planted 3 of these in spring 2009 right as we were about to go through a terrible, dry summer. They struggled along and had trouble wi...Read Moreth what I think was probably powdery mildew. Then we had an unusually cool and rainy fall and winter and they really took off. They are now about 4 feet tall and covered in beautiful spikes of blue-purple flowers. Very eye catching and the bees love them.

I have them growing in dry, partial shade on a western exposure where they get blasted by afternoon sun. I'm hopeful that they've gotten well established enough now to not need too much babying through the summer.

Updated April 2013 -- These guys have proven to be very drought-tolerant in their current location. They reliably bloom for me in March/April and then sometimes will bloom again in the fall if we get good rain. They would probably be better bloomers in more sun and with more water. They die back to the rosette in cold winters and have to be cut back in mild years. Very popular with the bees -- haven't noticed butterflies being all that excited about them.