Mealycup sage (Salvia farinacea ) gets its common name from the downy coating on the calyxes—the little cups from which the tiny florets emerge. This is an extremely popular annual bedding plant, although technically it is a perennial native to Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, and hardy to USDA Zone 7. The cultivar 'Victoria Blue' has been around for several decades and has stood the test of time. It reliably produces many spikes of violet-blue flowers all summer long, until a hard frost. It reaches 2 feet in height. The attractive foliage is green with a grayish cast. The spent flowers should be removed to encourage branching and more blooms.