Lyreleaf Sage Plant

Lyreleaf Sage (Salvia lyrata): Native Evergreen Sage for Sun or Shade

Lyreleaf sage (Salvia lyrata) is a native perennial sage that forms a low, evergreen rosette of lyre-shaped leaves and sends up 1- to 2-foot spikes of lavender-blue flowers from April to June. Lyreleaf sage is hardy in USDA zones 5–9 and grows in full sun to part shade. TN Nursery ships bare-root plants, Buy 1 Get 1 Free.

Lyre-leaf sage is a member of the mint family, Lamiaceae, and is native to the eastern United States from New York, Ohio, Missouri and Kansas south to Florida and eastern Texas, including the open woods and meadows of Tennessee. The common name comes from the leaves: each one is deeply lobed toward the base and rounded at the tip, like the outline of a lyre. The leaves lie close to the ground in a flat rosette, often veined or blushed with deep purple, and the color turns richer burgundy in cool weather. Square, upright stems rise from the center in spring and carry rings of 1-inch, two-lipped, tubular flowers.

• Botanical name: Salvia lyrata, mint family (Lamiaceae)
• Also called: lyre-leaf sage, lyre-leaved sage, wild sage
• Flower: 1-inch, tubular, lavender-blue to pale violet flowers in whorls on 1–2 ft spikes, April–June
• Foliage: evergreen basal rosette, 6–8 inches across, green with purple veins and burgundy winter color
• Best uses: native ground cover, lawn alternative, meadows, woodland edges, rain gardens and pollinator beds
• Wildlife value: nectar for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds; seeds for American goldfinches
• What ships: bare-root plants in Buy 1 Get 1 Free, Buy 3 Get 2 Free, Buy 5 Get 3 Free and 25-plant wholesale bundles

Is Lyreleaf Sage Evergreen?

Yes. Lyreleaf sage keeps a flat, evergreen rosette of leaves all winter in zones 5–9, so a planting of lyreleaf sage stays green and purple-toned while most perennials are dormant.

The rosettes hug the soil at 2 to 4 inches tall for most of the year. In spring, the flower stalks lift the blooms to 1 to 2 feet, and after flowering the plant returns to its neat, low mound. This two-level habit makes lyreleaf sage a natural fit along paths, under deciduous trees and at the front of native beds, where it carries color through all four seasons.

Does Lyreleaf Sage Grow in Sun or Shade?

Lyreleaf sage grows in full sun to part shade and also blooms in light, dappled shade under tall trees. Full sun gives the most flowers and the richest purple leaf color.

Lyreleaf sage prefers average, well-drained soil and adapts to sand, loam, clay and rocky ground with acidic to neutral pH. Lyreleaf sage handles dry spells once established and also thrives in rain gardens with occasional standing water. Water new plants weekly for the first 4 to 6 weeks, then only in long dry periods.

Can Lyreleaf Sage Be Used as a Lawn Alternative or Ground Cover?

Yes. Lyreleaf sage tolerates mowing and light foot traffic, so a lyreleaf sage ground cover works as a flowering native lawn alternative in sunny or partly shaded yards.

Set the mower at 4 inches after the spring bloom and the rosettes stay low and full. Lyreleaf sage also self-sows, so a planting fills in on its own and knits into a dense carpet of evergreen leaves. Space plants 12 inches apart for full coverage in about 2 seasons, or 6 to 8 inches apart for faster coverage. A 25-plant wholesale bundle covers about 25 square feet at 12-inch spacing.

Does Lyreleaf Sage Attract Hummingbirds and Pollinators?

Yes. Lyreleaf sage flowers attract ruby-throated hummingbirds, native bees, bumblebees and butterflies in spring, and American goldfinches eat the seeds in summer.

The tubular blooms open early, when hummingbirds are returning north and native bees are emerging, which makes lyreleaf sage one of the first nectar sources in a native garden. The hollow flower stems also give small native bees a place to nest when the stems are left standing through winter. Deer usually pass over the aromatic leaves, so the rosettes stay full in yards near woods.

What Grows Well With Lyreleaf Sage?

Spring wildflowers and long-blooming natives grow well with lyreleaf sage. Pair lyreleaf sage with wild geranium and foamflower along a woodland edge, or with Virginia bluebells for a wave of blue in April. In sunny beds, purple coneflower and black-eyed Susan pick up the bloom in summer after lyreleaf sage finishes. Find more early nectar plants in our pollinator plants collection or browse low-growing natives in our ground cover plants.

How Do You Plant Bare-Root Lyreleaf Sage?

Plant bare-root lyreleaf sage with the crown at soil level and the roots spread 3 to 4 inches deep, spacing plants 6 to 12 inches apart. Plant in fall, late winter or early spring for the strongest start.

1. Soak the roots in water for 1 to 2 hours before planting.
2. Loosen the soil 6 inches deep; no added fertilizer is needed.
3. Dig a hole wide enough to spread the roots flat.
4. Set the crown even with the soil surface and firm the soil around the roots.
5. Water well and keep the soil lightly moist for the first 4 to 6 weeks.

Planting & Growing Information

Botanical Name: Salvia lyrata
Plant Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)
Ships: Bare root
Planting Zone: 5–9
Height at Maturity: 1–2 feet in bloom; rosette 2–4 inches
Spread: 6–12 inches
Spacing: 6–12 inches
Sun or Shade: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Low to moderate; handles dry spells once established
Soil: Average, well-drained soil; adapts to sand, loam and clay
Bloom Season: April–June
Flower Color: Lavender-blue to pale violet
Origin: Eastern United States
Care: Mow or trim flower stalks to 4 inches after bloom for a tidy look, or leave them standing to feed goldfinches and shelter native bees.
Plant Attributes: Evergreen rosette, native, pollinator plant, hummingbird plant, deer resistant, mowable ground cover

Lyreleaf Sage FAQ

How tall does lyreleaf sage get?

Lyreleaf sage grows 1 to 2 feet tall in bloom, and the evergreen leaf rosette stays 2 to 4 inches tall the rest of the year.

When does lyreleaf sage bloom?

Lyreleaf sage blooms lavender-blue from April to June, starting as early as March in the Deep South.

What zones does lyreleaf sage grow in?

Lyreleaf sage grows in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9.

Is lyreleaf sage deer resistant?

Yes. Lyreleaf sage has aromatic, mint-family leaves that deer usually leave alone.

Can you mow lyreleaf sage?

Yes. Lyreleaf sage tolerates mowing at 4 inches and light foot traffic, which makes lyreleaf sage a good flowering lawn alternative.

Is lyreleaf sage a native plant?

Yes. Lyreleaf sage is native to the eastern United States, from New York and Kansas south to Florida and Texas.

Grown and Shipped by TN Nursery

TN Nursery has grown hardy native plants since 1959, more than 65 years of experience, and has supplied plants to major U.S. landmarks like the Washington Monument and Arlington National Cemetery. At our Altamont, Tennessee nursery, we grow lyreleaf sage and ship it bare root to native gardens across the country. Each order is dug and packed fresh, with the roots kept moist, so the plants settle in quickly and start forming new rosettes. To learn more, read Exploring Lyreleaf Sage, Top 10 Plants to Attract Pollinators and Planting Perennials for Pollinators on our garden blog.