Mealycup sage Care

Salvia farinacea, the mealycup sage, or mealy sage, is a herbaceous perennial native to Nuevo León, Mexico and parts of the United States. In the temperate latitudes, it is cultivated as an annual and used as an ornamental plant in parks and gardens.

Mealycup sage gets its common name from the powdery meal, or dust, that covers the cup-shaped flowers. As a salvia plant, it comes from a genus of plants known for its "saving" or healing properties, sharing qualities, like its soft, fuzzy flower spikes and fragrant foliage, with other members of the sage family. The leaves of mealycup sage are not fuzzy or thick like many other sage plants. Instead, they are elongated and slightly serrated with a hint of gray to the underside. The flowers originate from multiple stems clustered alongside study spikes. While plant size varies by variety, most grow to about 2 to 3 feet tall by 8 to 12 inches wide.