An easy and beautiful perennial for me in zone 10a. Definitely worth growing as an annual for those areas in which it is not hardy, which I believe is up to zone 8. It not only self sows, but also gets bigger each year. It is herbaceous and very easy to divide, so I have more plants each year. Though most report its height topping out at around 2ft, in its third year here it has reached 4ft. It can be prone to powdery mildew so it's best to water from below. Spider mites, white flies and others also attack mine, so I spray with neem oil once in a while and that seems to work well. It attracts beneficial insects, such as bees and butterflies, as well as hummingbirds. In my garden I've also looked on as the lesser goldfinches go for the seeds and comically the stems bend under their weight.

It's also reported to be a good cut flower, which is rare among salvias.

The blue color is beautiful and they seem to pair well with pretty much any other plant and flower color. I have mine next to cuphea vermillionaire, cuphea firefly, with amistad in the back.

They do not require any fertilizer. Deadhead once the flowers start to die to promote more flowering. At the end of the season you can let the flowers go to seed to collect, or you can simply let them self seed. A beautiful versatile garden staple that I think most would enjoy having.