Salvia guaranitica (anise-scented sage)

Japanese name: サルビア グアラニティカ
Scientific name: Salvia guaranitica

[Overview]
An evergreen perennial to subshrub 1.2–1.5 m tall.
It sends out underground stems and spreads sideways.
The stem is square in cross section.
Leaves are simple and opposite, ovate, 5–13 cm long, hairy, and have toothed margins.
The leaves have an anise-like fragrance.
The flowers are deep violet lipped flowers, borne in a row on one side of a long flower spike.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by division or cuttings.
It tolerates temperatures down to -5 °C, and even if the aboveground part dies back in winter, it sprouts again in spring as long as the roots do not freeze.
If freezing is a concern, give plants in the ground protection from the cold, for example by laying straw around the base, and bring potted plants indoors.
It prefers fertile, sunny, well-drained places.
In poor light it may become leggy and weak, and flowering is poorer.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries from spring to autumn, and keep on the dry side in winter.
For plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
No further fertilizer is particularly needed if base fertilizer is applied.
It is hardy, but weak against high temperature and humidity in summer; if the plant becomes stuffy, the inner and lower leaves may die, so thin out crowded branches to improve ventilation.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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