Salvia Species, Mexican Bush Sage

On Apr 5, 2021, Mary94949 from Novato, CA wrote:

This frost-tender plant grows roots easily from tender shoots placed in water. Many people prune it back hard in late fall in my zone 9, and it grows back very fresh and bushy by late March. It blooms regularly for over 6 months (March - November) in coastal California.

On Nov 24, 2017, tranquilityva from Doswell, VA wrote:

This plant is an annual for me in zone 6b-7 in central virginia. I live out in the rural area and it gets colder than z 7. I love this plant. From a stick almost in the spring to a 6' circle in fall it is a standout. I have trouble finding it in the spring as box stores call it a sage and get it with their herbs! I get the purple and white ones but just recently saw the solid purple. Nice but not as yummy as the purple and white.

I notice everyone says alkaline soil but mine is quite acid, some areas 5.0. I use a lot of compost which is beginning, after 5 years of this new garden, to turn more neutral but no where near alkaline.

I haven't noticed seeds on the plant but will look for them next year. But the best $3.50 plant I buy

On Nov 22, 2016, no_regrets from San Diego, CA wrote:

Planted a handful of these in an area of our property that gets intense summertime sun and heat, with only overspray from lawn sprinklers to give relief from the drought conditions. I didn't pay too much attention until, toward the end of the season when everything else was starting to look rather tired and spent, this plant absolutely EXPLODED with intense purple blooms all over. And it just won't stop! It's Thanksgiving week and they look as fresh as they did months ago, like they're frozen in time. I'm waiting for them to stop blooming so I can cut them back... but it hasn't happened yet. Amazing! I only wish I had planted more of them in other parts of our yard.

On Apr 1, 2012, Sandwichkatexan from Copperas Cove, TX wrote:

Grows huge every season. It dies back in the winter and rebounds nicely every year . Hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers like a magnet .

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. It was shaded in the morning by a Pomegranate tree, but it grew & flowered wonderfully. 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. 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! I later tried allowing all the flowers on each stem their turn to develop, thinking they might all become large spikes like the main ones on the stem ends . . . but they ever did, and the plant quickly became rangy ... read more& unpleasant to behold (by comparison). I recently asked a plant-grower in my area if he still carried this plant, but he had discontinued it because everyone had complained that it was coming up from seed like crazy, all over their gardens . . . IF they had pruned it like my mother always did, that could never have happened, and, their plants would have looked 100% more beautiful, too! . . . . . . . . . NOTE: Mom's sage was on a dirt berm, but not sheltered from winter rains, and it did GREAT!

On Oct 2, 2009, mswestover from Yulee, FL (Zone 9a) wrote:

Gets woody at the base. I trim it in mid summer. It spreads and will take over a flower bed quickly. Blooms Oct-Nov zone 9a. Hummingbirds like it.

On Oct 8, 2007, Lily_love from Central, AL (Zone 7b) wrote:

I've thise Salvia for several years now, its growth habit seems a bit of restraint. It's in full bloom this time of year. Although, classified as 7b. Sometimes, due to microclimate influences; many zone 8's plants proven to be adaptive here where I'm.

On Jun 4, 2006, Sheila965 from Rincon, GA (Zone 8a) wrote:

This is a VERY hardy plant. After a year, it will spread by root. I had to dig it up and move it earlier in the spring, so I cut it way back. I was so scared I had lost it. It is now blooming beautifully! I even shared the new shoots with my mom.

On Apr 12, 2005, Tomatoholic from Austin, TX (Zone 8b) wrote:

I love this plant. It is so interesting. It blooms my favorite color too. I have two of these...one if blooming and the other is not blooming at all. They are planted in the same area so they get the same sun/water/etc. Any suggestions out there how I can get the other one to bloom? I live in Austin, TX. These are new plants I got a few weeks ago from Red Barn Nursery. Thanks.

On Jul 13, 2003, meek wrote:

A really good landscape plant, likes an alkaline un- improved soil to slightly dry, plant can run by suckering along bottom edge so cut these out for new plants. Plant on 4-6 foot centers as they can eaisily be 3-5' round and tall. Cut back hard in fall to 1' in warmer (no frost) climates and it comes back like a true herb. Have seen hummingbirds feeding on this and have yet to see a major pest.
Have had extremely good luck on drip irrigation with emmiters 6" from base.

On May 3, 2002, loisbeth wrote:

5-6' gray-green foliage on shrub-like plant produce 18" spikes of purple flowers with white tips. Must be kept dry in winter. Prune in mid-summer for better branching. Needs well drained soil.