Black Sage (Salvia mellifera)

Black sage is the most common sage in California. Though less showy than other salvia species and cultivars, it is an important food source for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The flowers are small and pale blue-lavender in color. After blooming, black sage seeds provide food for birds, including quail and towhees. A black sage shrub can grow up to 6 feet tall and 10 feet wide. In the garden, this aromatic plant prefers full sun and well-draining soil. It is a low-moisture plant, requiring no supplemental water once established. It is usual for the small, dark green leaves to curl during summer drought. From Calscape.

Grower: Larner Seeds

Family: Lamiaceae

Life Cycle: Perennial

Plant Type: Shrub

Sun Exposure: Full

Bloom Period: Spring, Summer (March to July)

Bloom Color(s): Blue, Lavender, White

Plant Height: 3-6 feet tall

Plant Width: 3-10 feet wide

California Regions:

• San Francisco Bay Area
• Central California Coast
• Southern Coast
• Southern California Inland

Ecological Benefits:

• Drought Tolerant
  
• Attracts pollinators, birds, wildlife
  

Ecological Functions:

• GroundCover
• Hedge
• Bank Stabilization
  

Habitat Type:

• Chaparral
• Coastal Sage Scrub

Human Uses/Cautions: Edible, Medicinal

Skill Level: Beginner

Seed Pretreatment: None