It's A No-Brainer To Plant This Stunning Perennial Next To Salvia In Your Garden

Salvia, the genus of the sage family, includes a variety of stunning perennial plants that brighten up any summer garden with whimsical lavender colored flower clusters. While it's stunning on its own, this flower is well-suited for companion planting that benefits your garden by boosting its aesthetic value and attracting beneficial pollinators and birds. Salvia and coneflowers are a perfect match. 

Both salvia and coneflowers are low-maintenance plants that are perennial in zones 3 to 8. Salvia and coneflowers have similar sun, soil, and water needs and are similar in size, about 1 to 3 feet tall and wide. Coneflowers' large, daisy-like flowers and sturdy stems are eye-catching and contrast well with salvia's long clusters. There are several color varieties to choose from — like red, yellow, and purple — that complement similar hues of salvia. Planting these flowers together attracts twice as many bees, butterflies, and birds to your garden. Whether your salvias are border plants, container plants, or the main attraction of your garden, planting coneflower alongside them is a no-brainer.

Coneflower is an adaptable plant that thrives in many of the same conditions as salvia, so planting it next to your thriving plants will set it up for success. Like salvia, coneflower can grow in a variety of well-draining soil types, like loam, sand, and rocky soils. Both plants prefer dry to medium moisture soil but can tolerate drought. Less is more when it comes to watering, as overly wet soil can cause root rot in both plants. Both coneflower and salvia thrive in full sun to partial shade. In the right conditions, salvia and coneflower will fill your garden with stunning flowers and pollinators from early to late summer.

While it is advisable to deadhead salvia to achieve maximum blooms, deadheading coneflowers is optional. They will typically rebloom without deadheading, but removing spent flowers can improve its appearance. You may want to leave some seed heads on the plant, though, as this will allow it to self-seed and provide food for finches in the winter.