Salvia apiana
white sage
Southern California and northern Baja California
Overview
Salvia apiana is an evergreen, aromatic shrub reaching 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 m) tall in leaf and up to 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 m) when in flower, forming a rounded mound of pale foliage. The leaves are lance-shaped, 1.5-3.5 inches (4-9 cm) long, covered in dense white hairs that give them a silvery-white, almost frosted look, and release a strong resinous, camphor-like scent when crushed or warmed. From late spring into summer, tall, wand-like flower stalks rise well above the foliage, bearing whorls of small white flowers flushed with pale lavender and dotted with purple. The flowers draw many bees and other pollinators. Dry nutlets follow. The plant is drought-deciduous in extreme heat, dropping some leaves to conserve water. It grows on dry slopes and is slow to recover from hard pruning into old wood. The aromatic leaves have long been used in cultural and ceremonial practices.
Native Range
Native to southern California and northern Baja California, in the coastal sage scrub and chaparral of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. Grows on dry slopes, alluvial fans, and canyon edges below about 5,000 feet (1,500 m), in well-drained soils.Suggested Uses
Planted in dry, native, and pollinator gardens and on sunny slopes in Mediterranean climates at 3-4 foot (0.9-1.2 m) spacing. The flowers draw many bees and the aromatic leaves are used in cultural and ceremonial practices. Its need for dry, lean conditions makes it suited to low-water plantings rather than irrigated beds.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height3' - 5'
Width/Spread3' - 4'
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
white with pale lavenderFoliage Description
silvery-whiteGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun in dry, fast-draining sandy or gravelly soils and tolerates heat, drought, and poor ground. Water needs are very low; established plants need no summer water and rot in wet or rich soil. It is sensitive to humidity and overwatering, which cause root rot and fungal problems. Cold tolerance reaches about 20F (-7C), with damage below that. The plant is short-lived, often 5-8 years, and resents pruning into bare old wood, which it may not resprout from. It grows in a Mediterranean climate with dry summers.Pruning
Prune lightly after flowering, cutting only into green growth, since cuts into bare old wood often fail to resprout. Spent flower stalks can be removed once seed has dropped. Hard renewal pruning is generally not done because the plant recovers poorly.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons