Salvia yunnanensis is a perennial plant that is native to Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces in China, found growing on grassy hillsides, forest margins, and dry forests at elevation. S. yunnanensis has tuberous roots and grows on erect stems to tall, with simple oblong-elliptic leaves that are long and wide.
Inflorescences are widely spaced 4-6-flowered verticillasters in terminal racemes or panicles, with a blue-purple corolla.