Lyreleaf sage
By LYNN ARTZ, SANDY TEDDER and DAVID RODDENBERRY
The foot-tall flower spikes of lyreleaf sage (Salvia lyrata) delight in late winter. Whorls of pale blue to violet, 1-inch tubular flowers on square, leafless stems attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Each flower’s lower lip makes an excellent landing pad. When a bee lands, the two flower stamens tip downward, dousing it with pollen. The rest of the year, the attractive, green tinged with purple, lyre-shaped leaves hug the ground. Lyreleaf sage makes a lovely evergreen groundcover that can be mowed and walked on. Use it to replace lawn, or mix with turf grass or other ground covers, in part shade to full sun in medium-moist soil. At Sopchoppy Depot Park, lyreleaf sage is being planted as a ground cover around redring milkweeds that were planted last fall.
