Ask the Expert: wondering what perennial this is This flower was planted by the previous owners and I was wondering what it is. It has a purple top and is about 12-18" tall right now. Unfortunately, you can see that it flops over, so first I want to know the name and second, what can I do to prevent the flopping. It is in partial sun - so does this make a difference in whether a plant will stay tall? Thank you for your help. Emily Hartley Emily Hartley Plant Expert Reply: You have a type of salvia. I am not sure which species or cultivar it is. It could be a Salvia patens. They tend to become leggy and flop over if in too much shade. You can trim it back after it blooms. This might keep the next set of blooms from falling over. If it gets taller and still flops over, you can stake the plant. Share this:Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to [...]