salvia lyrata - lyre-leaf sage

This flower grows from 1 to 2 feet tall.  It has whorls of 3 to 10 lavender to blue flowers surrounding a square stem.  The flowers are about 1 inch long.  The corolla is 2-lipped, with the lower lip being longer than the upper lip.  The basal leaves are lyre-shaped.

The exposed lower lip of salvias provides an excellent landing platform for bees.  When a bee lands, the two stamens are tipped and the insect is doused with pollen.

This flower is found in sandy, open woods, thickets, and weedy sites.  It flowers from April to June.