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FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Mainly grown for its rosettes of glossy burgundy leaves that transform to a deep purple in summer followed by red in the autumn, this native selection is the perfect substitution for non-native Ajuga. Blue flowers appear in late spring and early summer – sometimes without petals, but despite they still attract a bevy of pollinators and butterflies. Plants thrive in moist or dry soil as long as they are in sun to part shade and may self seed to produce a ground cover of plants 18″ tall with a 12″ spread.

HABITAT & HARDINESS: This is a cultivar and so is not found in the wild.

This cultivar is hardy in USDA Zones 4-9.

PLANT DESCRIPTION: Salvia lyrata ‘Purple Knockout,’ commonly known as Lyreleaf Sage, is a charming and resilient herbaceous perennial that belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae). This cultivar is celebrated for its striking foliage and vibrant spikes of purple flowers. The plant typically forms a rosette of distinctive lyre-shaped leaves with scalloped edges, giving it a unique and ornamental appearance. ‘Purple Knockout’ stands out in garden settings with its vertical spikes of tubular flowers that rise above the foliage in late spring to early summer. The deep purple hue of the blooms adds a splash of color to borders, meadows, and wildflower gardens. Lyreleaf Sage is well-suited for various environments, including sunny to partially shaded locations, making it an adaptable and visually appealing choice for gardeners.

CULTURAL & MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Salvia lyrata ‘Purple Knockout’ is a hardy and low-maintenance perennial that thrives in well-drained soils. It is particularly well-suited for average to poor soils, including sandy or clayey compositions. This cultivar prefers full sun to partial shade, although it can tolerate some shade. Once established, Lyreleaf Sage is relatively drought-tolerant and requires minimal watering. The plant forms clumps and spreads through self-seeding, creating a naturalizing effect in the garden.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Deer Resistant Plantings;Butterfly Garden;Beneficial Insects;Hummingbird Garden;Naturalizing;Pollinator Garden;Rock Garden; This plant can be useful in the landscape as a groundcover and for erosion control. Include this perennial in rock gardens, container gardens, pollinator gardens, woodland gardens, wildlife gardens, for interesting foliage, as an accent plant and for mass plantings; in drought-tolerant gardens and deer resistant gardens.

COMPANION & UNDERSTUDY PLANTS: Try pairing Salvia lyrata ‘Purple Knockout’ with Heuchera americana ‘Dale’s Strain’; Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’; Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Karmina’.

Heuchera americana ‘Dale’s Strain’; Heuchera villosa; Tiarella cordifolia; Ttiarella cordifolia wherryi are suitable substitutes.