[6] The blue flowers (rarely white), nearly 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch (6.4 to 12.7 mm) long, appear summer to autumn near the ends of their branched or unbranched spikes; their calyxes are tubular or bell-shaped and furry.

[4][5] The stems of wild S. azurea tend to be long and unbranched, causing them to flop under the weight of their flowers.

[7][8][9] When grown in cultivation, the stems of S. azurea are sometimes cut back early in the growing season to encourage branching and slow the vertical growth of the plant to prevent lodging.

[9] Throughout its range, it is found growing wild on roadsides, glades, prairies, savannas, fields and pastures.

[6][7] S. azurea prefers dry, sunny conditions in a variety of soils, including clay, gravel, and loam.