Meadow clary
The violet-blue sage of dry, limy meadows; its long corolla suits bumblebees best, while honey bees reach only part of the nectar.
- Nectar
- Medium
- Pollen
- Low
- Flowering
- JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
- Height
- 0,3-0,6 m
- Life cycle
- Perennial
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It grows in sunny, limy, dry meadows and along roadsides across most of Europe, northern and north-western Anatolia and the Caucasus. Its flowers have the typical sage lever mechanism and are pollinated mainly by bumblebees. Honey bees can take part of the nectar from flowers with a shorter corolla tube or when the nectar level rises; its value is therefore below medium.
Flowering
It flowers from May to July; after the first mowing a second, weaker flowering may appear in late summer. Nectar secretion increases on hot, sunny days.
Honey and pollen
It gives no honey of its own; it makes a small contribution to meadow honeys. Its pollen contribution is low.
Note for the beekeeper
It is a valuable meadow plant for wild bees and bumblebees and is included in bee-friendly meadow mixtures. Sowing it on its own for honey bees is not recommended; Salvia verticillata or Salvia nemorosa, with shorter tubes, are better suited for this.