General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Mesic
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 8b
Plant Height: 18 to 24 inches (46-61cm)
Plant Spread: 18 to 28 inches (46-70cm)
Leaves: Unusual foliage color
Deciduous
Fragrant
Other: Gray-green
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Flower Color: Purple
Other: Deep violet-blue
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Summer
Fall
Other: Remove spent flower spikes to encourage more.
Uses: Erosion control
Cut Flower
Dried Flower
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Butterflies
Hummingbirds
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Rabbit Resistant
Humidity tolerant
Drought tolerant
Propagation: Seeds: Other info: Seeds are sterile
Propagation: Other methods: Cuttings: Stem
Division
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Awards and Recognitions: Other: 1997 Perennial Plant of the Year. RHS-AGM. 2013 Great Plant Picks award winner.

Image
Common names
  • Sage
  • Meadow Sage
  • Salvia
Also sold as:
  • May Night
  • Salvia x superba 'Mainacht'

'Mainacht' was a featured
Plant of the Day for October 21, 2015.
Photo Gallery
Location: My Garden, Utah
Date: 2014-05-14
Bees! #Pollination
Photo by kosk0025
Location: My Garden, Utah
Date: 2015-05-30
Location: Stokesdale, NC
Date: 2022-04-22
Location: My Garden, Utah
Date: 2015-05-30
Location: My Garden, Utah
Date: 2014-05-14
Location: Carson City, NV
Date: 2020-06-02
Location: Angier, North Carolina
Date: 2007-07-11
Location: Garland (Dallas) TX
Date: 12-26-11 Early afternoon
Lovely color
Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C.
Date: 2016-05-21
 1:21 pm. Rich blue-violet blossoms and compact habit, make this
Location: Corner
Date: June
Location: Iowa
Date: 2018-05-26
Photo by farmerbell
Location: De Hessenhof (nursery)
Location: RavenCroft Cottage
Date: 2009-06-29
Location: Middle Tennessee
Date: 4/17/2011
First bloom in Spring
Location: Mason, New Hampshire
Date: 2016-05-22
Location: So calif
Date: 2018-05-31
Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2014-05-02
Location: My garden, Pequea, Pennsylvania USA
Date: 2018-05-31
Location: 382 River Road, Pequea, PA 17565
Date: May 23, 2015
Salvia nemorosa 'Mainacht' (May Night)
Location: De Hessenhof (nursery)
Date: 2023-05-20
Location: De Hessenhof (nursery)
Location: Maryland
Date: 2016-05-01
Location: Corner rock garden
Date: May 2015
Location: Maryland
Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: Late winter

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Sun Zone 6a
Date: 2012-08-17
Location: Sun Zone 6a
Date: 2012-08-17
Location: Corner rock garden
Date: May 2015
Location: Sun Zone 6a
Date: 2012-05-28
Some changes,its a bigger plant than last year and I added a blue
Location: Germany. Kordes garden.
Location: Grand Rapids, MN
Date: 2016-06-20
Bee-u-tiful!
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2008-07-10
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Home
Date: 2016-08-16
Location: Home
Date: 2016-08-16
Location: SE Michigan
Date: 2017-08-12

Date: 2015-04-28
Location: North Eastern Pennsylvania
Date: 2011-06-04
Location: Home Garden
Date: 2016-06-01
Location: Mason, New Hampshire
Date: 2016-05-22

Date: 2014-01-23
Photo courtesy of Santa Rosa Gardens. Used with permission.
Location: Sun Pittsford NY
Date: 2011-06-03

Photo Courtesy of Lazy S'S Farm Nursery.
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Washington Park Botanical Garden - Springfield, Il.
Date: 2016-03-26
Location: Maryland
Date: 2014-08-28

Date: 2013-05-21
One year after it was planted, half of the plant had bronze leave
Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2014-05-02
Just arrived through mail order and waiting to be planted.

Date: 2013-04-08

Date: 2013-04-08

Date: 2013-04-08
Location: Home
Date: 2016-08-16

Date: 2015-04-28
Location: Manitoba, Canada
Date: 2015-06-27
Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2015-07-07
Bees love these flowers!
Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2015-07-07
Bees love these flowers!
Location: My garden in Kentucky
Date: 2015-07-07
Bees love these flowers!
Location: Mason, New Hampshire
Date: 2017-05-01
photo credit: Robert Duval
Location: Madrid, Spain | April, 2023
Date: 2023-04-08
Location: Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2001-09-07
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Kalama, Wa.
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Maryland
Date: 2014-05-14
This plant is tagged in:
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Comments:
  • Posted by Catmint20906 (PNW WA half hour south of Olympia - Zone 8a) on Aug 26, 2014 7:05 PM concerning plant:
    Sage (Salvia x sylvestris) 'Mainacht' is one of my all-time favorite sages. The blue-lavender blossoms begin blooming in my Maryland garden in May and continue until first frost in October. It is a sizable Salvia, reaching to two feet high with about an 18 inch spread. Like other Salvias, it has aromatic leaves and does well in medium to dry soil in full sun. It is a pollinator magnet from first bloom in May to last bloom in October, attracting both butterflies and bees.
  • Posted by Skiekitty (Denver Metro - Zone 5a) on Oct 21, 2015 6:11 PM concerning plant:
    Can't kill this plant. Grows no matter where: full sun or even in mostly shade! Tolerant of extreme temperature (from negatives to 100+), drought/flood situation. This plant doesn't care! After first flush of blooms, give it a severe trim and you'll be rewarded with a new flush about 6 weeks later. Can get leggy and sprawling, though. It can look like something was lying in the middle of it and squished it flat.
  • Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Sep 16, 2011 3:12 PM concerning plant:
    Selected as the 1997 Perennial Plant of the Year. Outstanding for its compact growth habit, profuse deep purple flower spikes and vigorous re-blooming nature. “May Night” thrives in hot, sunny planting sites. The first flush of flowers comes in late spring. Deadheading and a little extra watering assures heavy re-blooming.
Plant Events from our members
Catmint20906 On April 29, 2016 Bloomed
kytnbabe On June 13, 2017 Obtained plant
Purchased at Lowes in Union City on clearance
FirmlyPlanted On July 1, 2017 Obtained plant
lovesblooms On February 24, 2018 Seeds sown
winter sown
AtaMaj On April 16, 2020 Transplanted
christine2 On June 2, 2021 Obtained plant
OV 3
TomatoNut95 On March 2, 2024 Seeds germinated
TomatoNut95 On February 23, 2024 Seeds sown
paleohunter On March 29, 2024 Obtained plant
» Post your own event for this plant

Discussion Threads about this plant
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
wow by Toni May 20, 2014 10:16 AM 2

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