White sage

Sun

Full sun; avoid shade and poorly ventilated sites.

Water

Low once established. Water young plants deeply but infrequently, letting the soil dry between waterings; established plants usually need little summer irrigation.

Soil

Lean, sharply drained sandy, gravelly or rocky soil. Avoid heavy clay, waterlogged ground and rich, moisture-retentive compost.

Height

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m), with flower stems sometimes reaching 6 ft (1.8 m)

Spread

3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m)

Flowers

Late spring to summer; small white to very pale lavender flowers in open clusters on tall, branching stems.

Foliage

Evergreen. Broad, lance-shaped leaves covered in fine white hairs, giving a silvery-white appearance; strongly aromatic when brushed. Plants may shed some leaves during severe drought or cold.

Growth

Moderate to fast in suitable warm, dry conditions.

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen
• Fragrant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.2 ft (0.68 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.8 ft (0.85 m)

4. After 3 years

   3 ft (1 m)

5. After 5 years

   4 ft (1.2 m)

   full size

About 4 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US

Growth rate

Fast

• Plant in full sun on a raised mound or gravelly slope if drainage is uncertain.
• Water deeply during establishment, then let the root zone dry before watering again.
• Avoid frequent summer irrigation, especially in heavy soil.
• Usually do not feed; rich soil and heavy fertilizing encourage weak, excessive growth.
• Use a light gravel mulch and keep it clear of the woody crown.
• In cold or wet-winter regions, grow in a freely draining pot and overwinter under bright, frost-free cover.

Pruning. After flowering, remove spent flower stems and lightly shorten leafy shoots to maintain shape. Remove frost-damaged growth in spring once new growth is visible, and avoid cutting hard into bare old wood.

Spring

Once hard frosts have passed, plant nursery-grown stock and check that water drains freely from the planting area.

Spring

Remove winter-damaged shoots back to healthy leafy growth; avoid hard renovation pruning.

Late spring

Check newly planted shrubs and water deeply when the root zone has dried.

Summer

Keep established plants on the dry side and avoid watering foliage or the crown.

Late summer

Remove finished flower stems, leaving some seedheads if you want to collect seed.

Autumn

In mild, dry-summer climates, plant early enough for roots to establish before winter; elsewhere, wait until spring.

Winter

Keep container plants bright, cool and frost-free where outdoor conditions are too cold or persistently wet.

• Use as a silver-leaved focal shrub in a sunny gravel garden.
• Combine with California buckwheat and deer grass in a California-native planting with little summer irrigation.
• Pair with purple-flowered, drought-tolerant shrubs for contrast against its pale foliage.
• Plant on a sunny, well-drained bank where its loose shape and tall flower stems have room to develop.
• Grow in a large, freely draining container near a sitting area where its foliage can be appreciated without frequent handling.

Garden styles it suits: California native, Mediterranean, Desert / xeriscape, Dry gravel garden, Pollinator garden and Sensory garden.

Plant it with: California buckwheat, Deer grass, Cleveland sage, California sagebrush, Woolly bluecurls and Rockrose.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar and pollen for native bees, honeybees and other insects; hummingbirds may also visit. Its strongest habitat value is within its native range.

• Root or crown rot in wet soil: improve drainage, keep mulch away from the crown and reduce watering; replace badly affected plants.
• Winter dieback from frost and wet: choose a sheltered, sharply drained site or overwinter a container plant under frost-free cover.
• Aphids on tender shoots: wash off small colonies with water and encourage natural predators.
• Leggy growth or collapse in shade or rich soil: provide full sun, stop feeding and lightly prune leafy shoots after flowering.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, but species-specific safety information is limited. Do not treat this as proof that eating large quantities is safe; avoid ingestion of concentrated essential oil, and keep smoke away from people and animals with breathing problems.

• Purple sage (Salvia leucophylla)

  Usually has greyer, more wrinkled leaves and pinkish-purple flowers in conspicuous, separated whorls; white sage has paler foliage and loose, tall sprays of mostly white flowers.

• Common sage (Salvia officinalis)

  Generally smaller, with distinctly wrinkled grey-green leaves and shorter spikes of violet-blue flowers; white sage has larger, whiter leaves and much taller flower stems.

• White sagebrush (Artemisia ludoviciana)

  A spreading herbaceous perennial with narrow, sometimes lobed silver leaves and tiny, inconspicuous flower heads; white sage is woody and bears recognizable two-lipped sage flowers.

The epithet apiana means 'of bees', referring to the bees attracted to its flowers, while 'white sage' describes its pale, hairy foliage.

Propagation. Sow seed in a freely draining seed mix in spring with warmth and good light; germination can be uneven. Take softwood or semi-ripe cuttings from non-flowering shoots in late spring or summer. Buy nursery-propagated plants or seed rather than collecting from wild populations.

Accepted botanical name

Salvia apiana

In the US and Canada

Native in the lower 48 states.

Native range

California and Mexico Northwest.

Measured

Average height 66 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.