As we mentioned, Mexican sage does well in warmer weather. Must be kept dry in winter. Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha) is a fast growing hummingbird plant that can look raggedy by December. One exception is white sage. of the member-only content library. In late summer or fall, use sharp pruners to cut 3- to 4-inch cuttings from the tips of actively growing (but non-flowering) stems. They include: If you dont have room in your home to overwinter the entire Mexican sage plant, you can take a bunch of cuttings like we described above and grow them in a sunny window or put them under grow lights until spring comes back around. This will give the plant the best chances to grow and produce pretty flowers. To propagate it using cuttings, you should: Get pruning shears and cut a piece of your mature Mexican sage that has a minimum of four to five nodes or leaf stems on it. They should remain dry. . Mexican bush sage flower spikes are approximately 10 inches long and extend above their soft green foliage with a slight silvery tint. Since its native to Mexicos conifer forests and Central America, its used to getting a lot of natural sunlight all year round. Pruning at the wrong time of year can delay or even prevent flower formation, so it's vital to perform the right type of pruning at the right time of year to ensure a good crop of blooms in summer. White sage (Salvia apiana): White sage needs no pruning. It typically grows two to three feet tall within one growing season. Most are from the excellent book Care and Maintenance of Southern California Native Plant Gardens by Bart OBrien, et al, along with some tips weve learned the hard way. Mom always pruned it in what I thought an unusual way: When the main flower spike on the end of a stem was done flowering, she removed the ENTIRE stem all the way back to the main stem. But I love this plant precisely because of a habit that yawns and stretches, and only cut vividly dead or dying old flower stalks. These methods include seed, cuttings, or transplants. I have trouble finding it in the spring as box stores call it a sage and get it with their herbs! Prune away the previous two years of growth using pruning shears. Sign up for our newsletter. I haven't noticed seeds on the plant but will look for them next year. She has over 16 years of experience writing for various outlets including Time Out NY and NJ Monthly. Sage Plants For Gardens: Learn About Different Types Of Sage, The Truth About Xeriscaping: Common Misconceptions Exposed, Growing Salvia - Tips On Growing And Caring For Different Types Of Salvia, Beatrix Potter: Mycologist, Illustrator, And Author, Learn About Wild Peony Varieties Native To California, Cardboard Potato Planter Planting Potatoes In A Cardboard Box, Old-Fashioned Shrubs Memorable Bushes For Old-Time Gardens, Pittosporum Transplant Info: How To Transplant Pittosporum Shrubs, Clay Soil Shrubs: Are There Shrubs That Like Clay Soil Sites, Home & Garden Marketplace: Advertiser Info. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Join us at 10 a.m. Jan. 21 for the next installment in our gardening series. Here are some takeaways of the more popular natives that my husband and I have employed in our native-plant landscaping. Last spring, horticulturist Lili Singer remarked to me that one of the most touching mistakes she sees made by novice dry gardeners is timidity in pruning their sages. Monkey flower (Mimulus spp. The plant can develop various infestations and fungal diseases, although you generally won't have problems with this low-maintenance bush. The plant can also develop diseases such as rust and leaf spot. And so, in the summer edition of the Theodore Payne Foundations Poppy Print newsletter, she nudges native gardening converts to do it. Any suggestions out there how I can get the other one to bloom? However, you can leave the plant outdoors if the winter weather stays slightly above freezing temperatures. Some terminology for novices pinching is removing the tip of a growing branch, and results in side branching at the point. . . Photos should be mailed separately to [email protected]. I'm waiting for them to stop blooming so I can cut them back but it hasn't happened yet. Plantings can be made throughout the growing season; however, It blooms regularly for over 6 months (March - November) in coastal California. . Cut back the entire plant by half using very sharp and clean pruning shears, discarding the waste into a bin or compost heap. Mexican bush sage is native to Central America and Mexico and easy to care for, requiring little maintenance. Remove all but the top two leaves from each cutting. It goes well with the plants popular with bees and butterflies, such as coneflower, black-eyed Susan, and sedum. Newsom: If addiction is a brain disease, where are all the doctors? Leaves infected with rust can cause leaf drop. Purple sage (Salvia leucophylla) and Cleveland and its hybrids such as Allen Chickering, Pozo Blue and Aromas can be cut back one-quarter to one-third. Sometimes, due to microclimate influences; many zone 8's plants proven to be adaptive here where I'm. Many people prune it back hard in late fall in my zone 9, and it grows back very fresh and bushy by late March. . At this point, you can transplant it into a pot or straight into the garden. On Nov 24, 2017, tranquilityva from Doswell, VA wrote: This plant is an annual for me in zone 6b-7 in central virginia. Just remove old flower stalks. Pruning tends to spur new growth,. In regions where Mexican sage can survive the winter, you can plant it at any time as long as you avoid the hottest months of the year. You won't need to prune it back until the late winter or early spring months. Hard pruning can be done at the end of the season after all blooming has ceased. To transplant it to your garden, youll: If you think that you want to overwinter your Mexican sage but it gets far too cold for your plant to survive if you leave it outside, you have three main choices on how to overwinter it. I live in the San Francisco mid-peninsula foothills and most of the plants are on a deck that has significant wind exposure in winter. Home and Garden | It will freeze in the low thirties, and recovers quickly in the spring. Its generally a low-maintenance addition to your garden that requires routine care to grow very well in most gardens. Jennifer Lesser is a New Jersey-based freelance writer covering lifestyle for The Spruce. Slowly reintroduce the plant to outside during the spring, once the final frost of the season passes. Mexican sage benefits from deadheading throughout the season to tidy it up, which can help encourage it to produce more flowers into the autumn months. She has lived in the Bay Area since 1988. After the spring flush of growth, cut the new growth back by . On Nov 26, 2010, rntx22 from Puyallup, WA (Zone 8b) wrote: This is my absolute favorite salvia. Be sure to put your plants at least 36 inches apart, and opt for a thick layer of mulch to help protect your plants, including wood chips or evergreen boughs. Using heavy-duty frost cloth will also protect your plants from high winds, but youll need to anchor the cloth securely or you could be giving your neighbors a pricey gift. People have a tendency to overprune. Purchasing the plants from a reputable source will be important to ensure that new plantings in the garden are healthy and disease free. Pruning in winter and spring causes an abundance of new growth near the pruning site and takes months to recover. But dont prune back new shoots that have appeared. Love them both! The actual flower on Salvia leucantha is white, and there are only ever a few blooms open at once on a flower spike. Its coolest period is December through February, and the wettest period is May to October. These salvias grow best when pruned to within six inches of the ground after flowering. It also does well as a bedding plant or in containers. By contrast, if it is looking leggy and ragged, Mexican sage can be and should be cut almost to the ground leaving 6 inches to a foot or so of stalk and some flowers to placate the angry hummingbirds (take those off after the cut branches recover). It spreads and will take over a flower bed quickly. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Although, classified as 7b. And, although its tolerant to drought, this plant likes to be in evenly-moist soil when you water it. Passing dogs and kids then knock limbs off and contribute to the shaping process. When it comes to the soil, good drainage is the most important aspect. Mexican sage usually tops out between four and five feet wide at full maturity, and it has an open, soft growth habit. Like leaf loss, yellow leaves on your Mexican bush sage are often caused by overwatering or an overly nitrogen-rich fertilizer. In 2006, I had two of the all purple Salvias growing in the ground next to the driveway and he really loved seeing them every day they were in bloom. Ceanothus (often referred as wild lilac): Pinch and lightly prune in spring after flowering and when theyre producing active growth. Pruning Mexican tarragon. Drought-tolerant plant returns annually, attracting pollinators. Mexico's dry season spans December to April. Unlike a lot of houseplants that will bloom in summer and spring only, Mexican sage will start to bloom later in the summer and well into the fall months. Mexican bush sages can be propagated with cuttings, and overwintering can be done indoors or outdoors, depending on the winter temperatures of your area. Yet by late August, those fluttering elegies to spring just look dead, and its as obvious to the most laissez faire gardener as it is to the fire marshal that it is time to prune. The plant is generally low-maintenance and problem-free but is prone to issues common to all woody outdoor plants. It blooms my favorite color too. Simply cut all the old shoots off at ground level. . This sage grows into a substantial shrub-like plant, reaching 36 to 48 inches tall and wide by the end of the growing season. Pick a spot that gets a lot of sunlight, and you want to water it right after you finish transplanting it. The flowers are fuzzy and I cannot resist touching them! Mexican sage prefers to be in a well-draining but rich soil with a lot of nutrients. Best month to visit Mexico. Where helpful to the reader, some posts may contain links to products. Blooms late in the season. In fact, pruning during the active growing season can delay flowering and prevent you from seeing any flowers before the frost comes and kills it off. http://southcoastbotanicgarden.org/. You may hear this plant called Velour Pink, FerPink,, and Wellington Pink. Though this plant will tolerate some periods of drought, it is best to establish a consistent irrigation routine. Water with the solution weekly during the summer months. . On Nov 5, 2011, XemaSab from Redding, CA wrote: I've tried it three times, and every time it just hasn't survived the winter. Fertilize lightly in early spring. Linda Richards is a member of the Redlands Horticultural and Improvement Society and lives in Redlands. You want to wait until you see new growth in the spring and prune it back to the point of the new growth. Bay Area Gardening: When to prune salvias this, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Bay Area Gardening: When to prune salvias this winter, Californias native poppy is lovely, and so are these others, too, Martha Groves Perry returns to Rose Garden for another release show, Los Gatos Spring Into Green event helps Keep Los Gatos Beautiful, After the storms: UC Gardens rescue operation to save a paradise lost, Everything youve wanted to ask about growing tomatoes. Be sure to water the shrub weekly during its initial growing season to help it develop strong roots. Coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia): Dont overprune. Surround the plant with a thin layer of mulch in spring to minimize moisture evaporation and keep weeds in check. early spring is often the best time. Mexican bush sages require heavier soils than other plants and are not prone to rot in heavy soil. Harriette Cole: My friend's mom didn't recognize me at my job, and she was very rude, Ask Amy: I put a security camera in my room, and what I saw was creepy, Ask Amy: My fiancee's family says I'm not invited, and she's going without me, The dad whose wife and child were among 5 killed by a neighbor in Texas describes how the massacre unfolded, 'Total dominance': Steph Curry breaks NBA Game 7 record, leads Warriors over Kings, Dear Abby: The reason her fiance hid his phone was something she never guessed, Mortgage fees to rise for buyers with high credit scores, fall for those with lower scores, Kurtenbach: Game 7 is likely not win-or-go-home for the Warriors it's win-or-break-up, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. Instead, prune lightly for structure in summer. relatively simple. November is probably the best time to travel to Mexico, when the rain is clearing up, the landscapes are lush and green, and the streets are fairly quiet. How to Grow Mint Indoors Two flamboyant Mediterranean sages often seen in California are Jerusalem and Canary Island sage. Unlike other sage plants, it is not used for culinary purposes. When this was done regularly & consistently, a new stem would quickly grow & start flowering, & the ones cut off were even more quickly replaced by others that were just waiting their turns! If you grow them outside, the rain is usually enough water to sustain them. When you finish pruning your Mexican Sage plant, you can toss the cuttings into your compost pile or bin to break down. Propagating your Mexican sage is a very easy process that wont take a huge amount of effort or time. Move the plant indoors before the first frost of the year. and hummingbirds, is a top priority. Although it comes back yearly in the southern states and along the Pacific coast, it is not winter hardy in areas that drop below freezing. This can be remedied by trimming back the plant throughout the summer as needed. If youre looking for something to fill in space, we suggest you consider planting it this spring. The Mexican bush sage can freeze and experience some stem dieback in winter, but when cut back in February, new growth will emerge in spring. How to Grow and Care for Mexican Hat Flower (Prairie Coneflower), How to Grow and Care for Peanut Butter Tree, How to Grow and Care for Mexican Orange Plant, How to Grow and Care for Bloomerang Lilac, 32 Deer-Resistant Perennials and Herbs to Plant Outside, How to Grow and Care for Hybrid Tea Roses. How to Prune a Pink Pandorea Jasminoides Rosea Plant, North Carolina State University Cooperative Extension Service: Salvia Leucantha, Clemson Cooperative Extension: Salvias: Beautiful Additions to Garden Landscapes, University of Florida IFAS Extension: Salvias, University of Minnesota Extension: How to Properly Clean Your Garden Tools and Pots, Logee's Plants: Cultural Information--Salvia, How to grow your own herb garden in any indoor or outdoor space. This will help to prepare the plant for winter and encourage new growth in the following spring. We have an old one, 20 feet by 20 feet. Prune in summer to early fall,mid-July through September. The flowers are a slightly deeper purple color. If it's January in the Valley and you've got a Salvia leucantha planted in your yard, there's a good chance it looks very much like this one. Blooms Oct-Nov zone 9a. 77 members have or want this plant for trade. Dormant-season pruning should be done by first frost. You have several ways that you can overwinter your Mexican sage plant to get a strong and healthy plant next season. Hard frosts cause pineapple sage to die back to the ground. In doing so, never remove more than one-third of the plant at a time. On Jul 8, 2011, 2QandLearn from Menifee, CA (Zone 9a) wrote: When I was growing up, my Mom put a berm in the backyard, & among the plants she covered it with, was one of these. Fertilizing more than that is typically unnecessary. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. Prune sparingly and don't remove too much growth. Mexican sage isnt toxic to animals or humans, and it does have some medicinal uses attached to it. Free. The Best Yarrow Companion Plants + What to Avoid As Lili notes, birds move in and glean the seeds. What saves it from removal every year is a long show of yellow flowers and handsome foliage that make it a handsome sentinel almost year round. . Reduce watering in autumn and winter. Pruning Mexican Sage. A. You can also prune or pinch back in mid- to late spring but be careful to not take off flower buds, or youll be without flowers and the beautiful red berries. . Water Mexican sage only during periods of drought, when more than two weeks have passed without significant rainfall. My Jerusalem sage generally gets reduced by half, cut to the point where I can see new foliage starting, then its thinned and cleaned up. On colder nights, I cover them with old sheets, but havent been pleased with the results, mildew and such. Have seen hummingbirds feeding on this and have yet to see a major pest. You should only prune a third or less of growth to avoid over stressing the tree. 5-6' gray-green foliage on shrub-like plant produce 18" spikes of purple flowers with white tips. Its gray-green leaves have a velvet-like texture and grow in pairs on square stems. When to prune Fall is an ideal time to do this. Use this form to submit questions. The hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and sphynx moths love it! Generally speaking, Mexican sage is a low-maintenance plant that doesnt require much from you. 25 Types of Lavender + Growing Conditions There are exceptions noted below, but pruning in the winter months before new growth starts is often recommended. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive regular updates, .wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-18426 {margin-left: -2em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-18426 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin: 0 0 2em 2em; }
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