Some are true sages, some are misnomers, but all have a place in a waterwise garden
Species of Artemisia, Petrovskia, Phlomis and Salvia have all been called sages, but true sages are all of the genus Salvia, in the family Lamiaceae (mints).
There are approximately 900 Salvia species. Some are annuals, some are perennials and some even biennials. All true sages (Salvias) have square stems like all members of the mint family.
Over 500 species of salvia have been identified in North and South America, but they are found in most of the world, except Australasia.
Some sages have been used as folk medicine or for their culinary properties, many others for their beauty in the garden.
For the waterwise garden, sages are particularly welcome because they can survive on available rainwater alone.
Flower colors will vary. Most sages like well-drained and even dry soils. They can be found in dry meadows, scrublands, grasslands and prairies, woodlands and slopes, in fact, almost every ecosystem in North America.
One species of Salvia (Salvia officinalis) has been cultivated as a medicinal herb since ancient times. In fact, the name “salvia” is derived from the Latin salvare, which means, “to save.”
Salvia has few pest problems.
Salvia pests include:
- Lepidoptera larvae.
- Aphids
- White flies
- Leaf hoppers
- Several beetle species
- Spider mites
Here are some Salvia species that are great for gardens:
- California whitesage (S. apiana): Perennial. Up to five feet tall, lavender-white flowers
- Azizona sage, Desert Indigo sage (S. arizonica): Perennial. Striking plant 1- 2 feet high with dark blue flowers
- Blue scrub sage (S. ballotiflora) Perennial. Three to six feet, white, blue and purple flowers
- Blue sage (S. azurea) Perennial. Tall plant. Large light blue flowers.
- Thistle sage (S. carduacea) Annual. Lavender flowers
- Cleveland sage, fragrant sage (S. clevelandii) A perennial shrub growing three to six feet tall and four to six feet wide. Flowers are deep blue to violet
- Blood sage, scarlet sage (S. coccinea) Annual. Native of southern North America. Red flowers. One to three feet tall.
- California sage, Chia (S. columbariae) Annual. Blue flowers. One to three feet high. Odor is skunklike.
- Clustered sage (S. whitehousei) Perennial. Low-growing ground cover resembling ground verbena. Pale violet flowers.
- Purple sage (S. dorii) Perennial. Two to three feet tall. Flowers are violet-blue. Broad plant. This plant is in the title of Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey.
- Death Valley sage (S. funerea) Perennial. Violet flowers
- Autumn sage, cherry sage (S. gregii) Perennial. A two to three feet shrub with white, pink or red flowers.
- Crimson sage (S. henryi) Perennial. Crimson flowers as the name implies.
- Black sage (S. mellifera) Perennial. Six to 12 feet tall. Flowers are purple or blue.
- Mexican bush sage (S. leucantha) Perennial. Purple to deep violet flowers with white tips.
- Texas sage (S. texana) Perennial. One to three feet. Violet or blue flowers.
- Cancer-leaf (S. lyrata) Perennial. One to two feet tall. Form of the plant is significantly different from other salvias. Flowers are violet or blue.
- Mountain sage (S. regla) Perennial. Three to six feet tall. Crimson to orange flowers. Very showy.
- Cedar sage (S. roemeriana) Perennial. One to three feet tall. Red blooms.
- Creeping sage (S. sonomensis) Perennial. Up to a foot high. Blue or purple flowers.
- Hummingbird sage (S. spathacea) Perennial. Rhizomatic. Two to three feet tall. Flowers are deep magenta.
- Scallopleaf sage (S. vaseyi) Perennial. Resembles rosemary in looks. Purple flowers.
Several non-sage plants are commonly called sage.
- Artemesia (Asteraceae family)
- Fringed sage (Artemesia frigida)
- Prairie sage (Artemisia ludoviciana)
- Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) Although part of the mint family, Russian sage is not a true sage.
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