meadow sage
(Salvia pratensis)
This species is Introduced in the United States
ORIGIN: Europe
GROWTH TRAITS: Salvia pratensis is an herbaceous plant with square stems and opposite leaves. Leaves are wrinkled, toothed, and often covered in fuzz. Leaves are progressively smaller up the stem. Flowers are produced in summer in multiple whorls of 2-6 found at leaf nodes and in long spikes at stem tips. Flowers are 1” long (2½ cm) and strongly 2-lipped with the lips widely separated. Each flower produces four 1-seeded nutlets. Meadow sage is a perennial growing 1-2½’ tall (30-75 cm) from a fibrous root system. Leaves are egg-shaped, warty, have rounded teeth, and are 3-6” long (7½-15 cm). Most leaves are basal. Flowers are purple to bluish and are subtended by small bracts.
REPRODUCTION: Spreads by seed. Seeds of both are believed to remain viable in the soil for at least three years.
HABITAT: Capitalizes on disturbance and can be found in pastures, meadows, hillsides, and roadsides, often in areas with at least partial sun.
LOOK-ALIKES: The opposite leaves, square stems, and 2-lipped flowers differentiate these plants from unrelated look-alikes. Within the family, there are many similar native and exotic species of Salvia and Mentha. The combination of widely separated flower lips, heavily flowered stems, and large basal leaves help differentiate these species from look-alikes. Plant size, bract size, and flower color help differentiate these species from each other.
CITATIONS:
Winston, R.L., Andreas, J.E., Milan, J., DesCamp, W., Randell, C.B., and M. Schwarzländer. 2014. New Invaders of the Northwest. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. FHTET-2014-12. Retrieved from https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/pdfs/FHTET-2014-12_NW_New_Invaders.pdf
GROWTH TRAITS: Salvia pratensis is an herbaceous plant with square stems and opposite leaves. Leaves are wrinkled, toothed, and often covered in fuzz. Leaves are progressively smaller up the stem. Flowers are produced in summer in multiple whorls of 2-6 found at leaf nodes and in long spikes at stem tips. Flowers are 1” long (2½ cm) and strongly 2-lipped with the lips widely separated. Each flower produces four 1-seeded nutlets. Meadow sage is a perennial growing 1-2½’ tall (30-75 cm) from a fibrous root system. Leaves are egg-shaped, warty, have rounded teeth, and are 3-6” long (7½-15 cm). Most leaves are basal. Flowers are purple to bluish and are subtended by small bracts.
REPRODUCTION: Spreads by seed. Seeds of both are believed to remain viable in the soil for at least three years.
HABITAT: Capitalizes on disturbance and can be found in pastures, meadows, hillsides, and roadsides, often in areas with at least partial sun.
LOOK-ALIKES: The opposite leaves, square stems, and 2-lipped flowers differentiate these plants from unrelated look-alikes. Within the family, there are many similar native and exotic species of Salvia and Mentha. The combination of widely separated flower lips, heavily flowered stems, and large basal leaves help differentiate these species from look-alikes. Plant size, bract size, and flower color help differentiate these species from each other.
CITATIONS:
Winston, R.L., Andreas, J.E., Milan, J., DesCamp, W., Randell, C.B., and M. Schwarzländer. 2014. New Invaders of the Northwest. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Health Technology Enterprise Team. FHTET-2014-12. Retrieved from https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/pdfs/FHTET-2014-12_NW_New_Invaders.pdf
Maps
EDDMapS Distribution - This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts, herbaria, and literature. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org
State Lists - This map identifies those states that have this species on their invasive species list or law.
Invasive Listing Sources
Taxonomic Rank
| Domain: Eukarya |
| Kingdom: Plantae |
| Phylum: Magnoliophyta |
| Class: Magnoliopsida |
| Superorder: Asteranae |
| Order: Lamiales |
| Family: Lamiaceae |
| Genus: Salvia |
| Salvia pratensis |
References
Common Name Reference: Weed Science Society of America Common Names List
Scientific Name Reference: USDA, NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.