Silver sage flowers in early to mid-summer after its first year. The large leaves seem to help shield the crown from excess moisture, keeping the soil around the base drier and helping winter survival. In the winter the plant dies back mostly to the ground, but it is best to leave the old leaves on the plant (even though this does not look very good) until new growth resumes the following spring. Silver sage plants do not look good at the end of the winter. The large, irregularly lobed oval leaves are densely covered with silver hairs that create a furry or wooly effect. Leaves emerge crinkled but flatten as they grow, with the margins retaining a sinuous wave. The plant grows a low basal clump or rosette of leaves up to three feet across. It tends to be a short-lived perennial in dry areas and/or if the flowers are removed but is more typically a biennial in humid climates, especially if allowed to go to seed. Native to dry, stony grasslands of southern Europe, the eastern Mediterranean and northwest Africa, this plant is hardy in zones 5-9. This award-winning plant has been given the Royal Horticulture Society’s prestigious Award of Garden Merit. Children and adults alike have a hard time resisting petting the soft, appealing foliage. Unlike most in the group that are grown for their flowers, silver sage is generally prized for its eye-catching, furry silver leaves.

Silver sage, Salvia argentea, is just one of over 900 species of salvias. The silver leaves of Salvia argentea make a nice contrast to green and purple foliage.