Salvia japonica

Salvia japonica, known as East Asian sage, is an annual plant that is native to several provinces in China and Taiwan, growing at 200 to 1200 m elevation. S. japonica grows on erect stems to 40 to 60 cm tall. Inflorescences are 2-6 flowered verticillasters in terminal racemes or panicles, with a corolla that varies in color from reddish, purplish, bluish, to white, and is approximately 1.2 cm.

There are two named varieties, with slight variations in leaf and flower shape: S. japonica var. japonica and S. japonica var. multifoliolata