Wilson Bros. Observations
It was the tall, intense, sky blue flowers of this pernnial plant that first captivated us in the early 1990's. The blue color is in a class by itself. When pruning the plant we also noted that the leaves emitted a unpleasant scent when cut or crushed. To be frank, the scent smelled a bit like cat urine. Perhaps this is why so many of our customers soon began telling us about its deer resistant and repellent qualities. We called the grower to tell him about what our customers were saying and he wasn't suprised at all. He had planted Bog Salvia around the perimeter of his growing nursery to ward of deer. The attributes don't stop here. You can plant this wonderful perennial in sun or shade, wet or well-drained soils.

Culture

Soil: Wet, damp, or well-drained fertile soil

Light: Full Sun or Afternoon Shade - will tolerate mostly shade

Feeding: Feed every 6 weeks or so during the growing season with a good flower food or Milorganite for even extra deer resistance.

Usage
Plant Bog Salvia almost anywhere in the landscape. Sun or shade, wet or well-drained soils. If deer are a problem, plant it near the plants they like to eat. The flower spikes make excellent cut flowers.

Planting - Plant this perennial as you would most other perennials. Dig the hole two to three times the width and no deeper than the rootball. Mix in a good soil ammendment such as Claycutter or Mushroom Compost at a 50/50 ratio with the soil removed from hole. Place rootball in hole making sure that top edge of the rootball at the ground level. Backfill with soil mixture to top edge of rootball. For more detailed instructions and a diagram see Planting Perennials.

Care

Pruning - In spring pinch tips to promote bushiness, and if desired lightly prune for shape until early May.

Fertilization - Begin fertilization in Spring when new growth begins to emerge. Fertilize every 6-8 weeks with a good bloom boosting fertilizer such as Colorburst or use an organic fertilizer such as Milorganite.