Garden Gate – October 2019

38 GARDEN GATE | OCTOBER 2019 | ISSUE 149

Gʣ

ood news: Sages are not very fi nicky about their

growing conditions and can grow in dense clay,

hot and humid weather and even handle drought

conditions. Many—but not all—types of sages

are native to the Southwestern United States and

Central America, a region characterized by tough

growing conditions.

Sun is best, though some can tolerate a little shade.

Too much shade and soil that’s too rich might make

their stems fl op. And, even though they tolerate clay

soil just fi ne, soil that holds too much moisture makes

it harder for marginally hardy sages to survive the

winter. Instead, plant them in well-drained, lean soil

and mulch the plant in fall for extra protection. Even

though sages tolerate some drought, they prefer

even moisture and need a little watering to get them

through dry spells.

It’s not really necessary to deadhead. You can

pinch or snip stems back to the leaf nodes for most

sages, or back to the base of the plant for Mexican

bush sage, to keep a tidier look.

TAKE CUTTINGS IN FALL If they are hardy

for you, divide sages every 3 to 5 years to keep

plants vigorous. If sages aren’t hardy for you, take

cuttings in fall. To take cuttings, snip off a non-

fl owering stem just below a leaf node so that the

cutting is about 3 inches long. Pinch off the bottom

leaves, dip the stem in rooting hormone and plant

in moist potting mix. Keep the cuttings moist and

in indirect light until they root in about two weeks.

Then keep them in a cool spot indoors until spring.

Soon you’ll have more sages for next year or for

sharing with others.

—Chloe Deike

Growing Late-Season Sages

A Pineapple sage Salvia elegans

Bright, showy foliage stuns in the fall and releases a fresh

pineapple aroma when crushed.

Blooms: Red tubular flowers in late summer to fall Light: Full

sun to part shade Soil: Well-drained Size: 3 to 4 ft. tall, 2 to

3 ft. wide Cold hardy: USDA zones 8 to 10

B Mealycup sage Salvia farinacea

Stems rise above dense foliage and flower buds often have a

slightly dusty white look.

Blooms: Purple, blue or white spikes continually bloom

in summer to frost Light: Full sun to part shade Soil:

Well-drained Size: 12 to 36 in. tall, 9 to 16 in. wide

Cold hardy: USDA zones 8 to 11

C Mexican bush sage Salvia leucantha

A popular perennial salvia, it flowers profusely, often with

white flowers on purple calyxes. Deadhead throughout bloom

period if spent stems look messy and start to weigh down the

rest of the plant.

Blooms: Long, arching racemes of white flowers held by

purple calyxes in later summer to frost Light: Full sun to

part shade Soil: Well-drained Size: 24 to 40 in. tall,

28 to 36 in. wide Cold hardy: USDA zones 8 to 10

D Anise-scented sage Salvia guaranitica

This is an absolute favorite of hummingbirds! The stark

contrast of the dark calyxes and shiny green foliage creates

undeniable interest.

Blooms: Purple and blue flowers emerge from dark blue

and black calyxes in summer to fall Light: Full sun to part

shade Soil: Well-drained Size: 2 to 5 ft. tall and wide

Cold hardy: USDA zones 7 to 11

E Skyscraper™ salvia Salvia hybrid

This new variety comes in uncommon colors of orange,

light pink and dark purple and looks stunning all on its own

in a container.

Blooms: Orange, pink or dark purple flowers emerge from

matching calyxes summer into fall Light: Full sun to part

shade Soil: Well-drained Size: 14 to 28 in. tall,

10 to 16 in. wide Cold hardy: USDA zones 7 to 10

F Scarlet sage Salvia splendens

A small plant with large flowers, this is a popular bedding and

container plant and can be deadheaded for tidiness and to

increase blooms.

Blooms: Red, creamy white, pink, burgundy, or purple flowers

in summer to fall Light: Full sun Soil: Well-drained Size:

10 to 30 in. tall, 8 to 18 in. wide Cold hardy: USDA zones 10 to 11

GG14934_39_Salvia.indd 38GG14934_39_Salvia.indd 38 6/26/2019 10:44:39 AM6/26/2019 10:44:39 AM

38 GARDEN GATE | OCTOBER 2019 | ISSUE 149

G

oodnews:Sagesarenotveryfinickyabouttheir

growingconditionsandcangrowindenseclay,

hotandhumidweatherandevenhandledrought

conditions.Many—butnotall—typesofsages

arenativetotheSouthwesternUnitedStatesand

CentralAmerica,a regioncharacterizedbytough

growingconditions.

Sunis best,thoughsomecantoleratea littleshade.

Toomuchshadeandsoilthat’stoorichmightmake

theirstemsflop.And,eventhoughtheytolerateclay

soiljustfine,soilthatholdstoomuchmoisturemakes

it harderformarginallyhardysagestosurvivethe

winter.Instead,planttheminwell-drained,leansoil

andmulchtheplantinfallforextraprotection.Even

thoughsagestoleratesomedrought,theyprefer

evenmoistureandneeda littlewateringtogetthem

throughdryspells.

It’snotreallynecessarytodeadhead.Youcan

pinchorsnipstemsbacktotheleafnodesformost

sages,orbacktothebaseoftheplantforMexican

bushsage,tokeepa tidierlook.

TAKECUTTINGSINFALL If theyarehardy

foryou,dividesagesevery3 to5 yearstokeep

plantsvigorous.If sagesaren’thardyforyou,take

cuttingsinfall.Totakecuttings,snipoffa non-

floweringstemjustbelowa leafnodesothatthe

cuttingis about3 incheslong.Pinchoffthebottom

leaves,dipthesteminrootinghormoneandplant

inmoistpottingmix.Keepthecuttingsmoistand

inindirectlightuntiltheyrootinabouttwoweeks.

Thenkeepthemina coolspotindoorsuntilspring.

Soonyou’llhavemoresagesfornextyearorfor

sharingwithothers.

—Chloe Deike

Growing Late-Season Sages

A Pineapple sage Salvia elegans

Bright, showy foliage stuns in the fall and releases a fresh

pineapple aroma when crushed.

Blooms: Red tubular flowers in late summer to fall Light: Full

sun to part shade Soil: Well-drained Size: 3 to 4 ft. tall, 2 to

3 ft. wide Cold hardy: USDA zones 8 to 10

B Mealycup sage Salvia farinacea

Stems rise above dense foliage and flower buds often have a

slightly dusty white look.

Blooms: Purple, blue or white spikes continually bloom

in summer to frost Light: Full sun to part shade Soil:

Well-drained Size: 12 to 36 in. tall, 9 to 16 in. wide

Cold hardy: USDA zones 8 to 11

C Mexican bush sage Salvia leucantha

A popular perennial salvia, it flowers profusely, often with

white flowers on purple calyxes. Deadhead throughout bloom

period if spent stems look messy and start to weigh down the

rest of the plant.

Blooms: Long, arching racemes of white flowers held by

purple calyxes in later summer to frost Light: Full sun to

part shade Soil: Well-drained Size: 24 to 40 in. tall,

28 to 36 in. wide Cold hardy: USDA zones 8 to 10

D Anise-scented sage Salvia guaranitica

This is an absolute favorite of hummingbirds! The stark

contrast of the dark calyxes and shiny green foliage creates

undeniable interest.

Blooms: Purple and blue flowers emerge from dark blue

and black calyxes in summer to fall Light: Full sun to part

shade Soil: Well-drained Size: 2 to 5 ft. tall and wide

Cold hardy: USDA zones 7 to 11

E Skyscraper™ salvia Salvia hybrid

This new variety comes in uncommon colors of orange,

light pink and dark purple and looks stunning all on its own

in a container.

Blooms: Orange, pink or dark purple flowers emerge from

matching calyxes summer into fall Light: Full sun to part

shade Soil: Well-drained Size: 14 to 28 in. tall,

10 to 16 in. wide Cold hardy: USDA zones 7 to 10

F Scarlet sage Salvia splendens

A small plant with large flowers, this is a popular bedding and

container plant and can be deadheaded for tidiness and to

increase blooms.

Blooms: Red, creamy white, pink, burgundy, or purple flowers

in summer to fall Light: Full sun Soil: Well-drained Size:

10 to 30 in. tall, 8 to 18 in. wide Cold hardy: USDA zones 10 to 11