purple sage not flowering

[taff]

It might just be me, but this sage has never flowered, does it flower? Is there anything I can do to encourage it to flower if it does? It's quite big, about a meter and a half easily, but it's been there 3 years now and never flowered. I'm getting a bit grumpy about it.

[Creemteez]

Do you pick it much? 'Cos of course if you keep pinching the growing tips out it won't flower. However, now I come to think about it, my purple sage hasn't flowered and I've had it about three years too. I don't know if they do!
Just out of curiosity, why are you so desperate for it to flower? Is it just an aesthetics thing or are you hoping to collect some seed?

[OverWyreGrower]

Don't think either of my sage plants has ever flowered.... they are quite large and growing well, but haven't flowered

[Flummery]

Mine have never flowered. Good - because I want them for leaves to cook with. You can get members of the sage family that do flower - salvia is the family name. Try Google Images.

[Two_Sheds]

My sage flowers before the blink of an eye

[rustylady]

Maybe the ones that aren't flowering are too comfortable and therefore don't feel the need to reproduce?

[taff]

I've got two side by side, a 'normal' sage, which has beautiful deep purple flowers that shade lightewr as they age, and the purple sage next to it. The taste of the proper sage is fab, and much better than the purple one, so unless it flowers, and soon, I may have to relieve it of it's prime position, and put another normal sage there instead. Besdies, the bees love the flowers and i love the bees

[Two_Sheds]

I just bought this sage for a third the price that Crocus are selling it... it's gorgeous. Cuttings taken already for overwintering. Sarah Raven does it too, but I don't think it's an edible ..?

[ginger ninger]

I think in all the years I've grown sage, I might have had 2 of them flower and that was years ago now. But I use a lot of sage in my cooking, as a salt substitute in savory dishes. So that might be why they don't get to flower much.

[Alison]

Mine's never flowered but I don't understand why you'd want it to. Flower stalks are usually pretty tough. If you want it to flower so you can collect the seeds and get more plants, take cuttings instead.

[Two_Sheds]

^^ I think Taff wants the flowers for the bees

[taff]

ooo, nice plant ts, might have to splash out on that
yes, i want it to flower for the bees. Like i said, the normal sage tastes wonderful, it beats the purple one by miles, so I was only keeping the purple on in the hopes it might flower for the bees