Wesuwe Sage (Salvia nemorosa 'Wesuwe')
SAL-vee-ah nem-or-OH-sah 'Wesuwe'

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-Forming
A deep-purple German heirloom, taller and deeper-colored than the popular 'May Night'.
'Wesuwe' is an older German cultivar named for a place in Germany; no individual breeder is documented anywhere. Chicago Botanic Garden's own Plant Finder entry explicitly describes it as having taller spikes that are a deeper purple with red-black bracts than the popular 'May Night' (also in this catalog, Plant ID 23355) -- a genuinely useful comparative note, directly confirmed rather than assumed. Chicago Botanic Garden and Lurie Garden both classify this plant as Salvia nemorosa, not Salvia x sylvestris -- the Full_Name on this record was corrected to reflect that. This is also the parent of the pink-flowered sport 'Pink Wesuwe' (also in this catalog, Plant ID 22754), whose own species designation should logically match.

Pros

  • Taller spikes and deeper purple color than the popular 'May Night'
  • Deep purple flowers with striking red-black bracts
  • Reblooms through much of the summer
  • Deer and rabbit resistant

Cons

  • Be sure to check the label: Only some Salvias are cold hardy...
  • Deadheading and pruning may be needed for best blooms and appearance
  • Relatively short-lived perennials

 

Plant Data

Mature Size 12 - 18 inches tall. 18 - 24 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance - Medium
Zones 3a - 8b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Pollinators, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Full Sun, Good for Borders, Good for Mass Planting, Low Maintenance, Medium, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Reblooms
Bloom Period May to June, July to August
Flower Color Deep Purple, Red-Black Bracts
 

Absolutely Easy Garden Recipes that include Wesuwe Sage

 

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Photos of This with...

Summer Beauty Allium, Blue Waterfall Bellflower, Foxglove Camelot Lavender, Camelot Rose Foxglove, Ballerina Cranesbill, Walker's Low Catmint, Caradonna Sage, Rose Marvel Woodland Sage, Blue Hill Wood Sage,
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 04/13 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!