Shrubby Sages: Planting and Care Tips

Botany and description

Some species of sage form true small bushes. This is the case with bushy sages, such as grahamii or Graham’s Sage, guarani Sage, greigii, or even microphylla or small-leaved sage. Others, more tender and taller, are also worth discovering, like Salvia guaranitica, leucantha, and involucrata.

These are woody perennial plants from the Lamiaceae or Labiatae family, aromatic and ornamental, just like thyme, rosemary, nepeta, and agastache, with which they share typical characteristics of their family: small two-lipped flowers, square stems, and opposite leaves.

They originate from South America, the Mexican mountains, and southern Arizona. These ramified perennials have a bushy and spreading habit, as wide as they are tall. With spectacular growth, they can form a true small bush from a suckering stump in just one season, reaching 0.40 to 2 m in all directions for the tallest. There are also compact varieties not exceeding 50 cm in all directions, particularly in the Salvia microphylla group.

Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’

On square-section stems that become woody with age, the foliage, semi-evergreen to evergreen in mild climates, unfolds. They sometimes take on purplish or black hues, as in Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’. These semi-woody stems bear petiolate leaves, ovate or lanceolate, in a beautiful mint green to bright green, sometimes variegated with white-cream. Villous, smooth, or slightly wrinkled, they measure 2 to 10 cm long and are crenate on the margins. The foliage of bushy sages, like that of sages, is highly aromatic. When crushed, the leaves, rich in essential oils and slightly sticky, release their menthol, aniseed, or lemony notes, depending on the variety. Their fragrance intensifies in warm, dry weather. They have no culinary interest, unlike the edible common or clary sages.

Bushy sages offer almost uninterrupted flowering from spring to autumn. It occurs in summer, more or less early depending on the climate, and continues until the first frosts. Some, like Salvia microphylla grahamii, flower as early as April, then even more generously in September. The bilabiate flowers emerge from the foliage, grouped in spikes of 20 to 30 cm. Tubular, they are composed of five petals fused into a tube that opens into two lips, with the lower lip of the corolla forming a wide labellum. They measure 2 to 4 cm long. These small inflorescences are ephemeral, lasting barely a day, but are immediately replaced and renewed continuously.

The colour palette is very diverse, offering soft and bright hues, or on the contrary vividly coloured, sometimes very deep. The flowers bloom in shades of white, red, purple, through all shades of pink, and even in an unprecedented royal blue in ‘Blue Note‘ and ‘Victoria Blue Vivisal’, for example. While the striking ‘Hot Lips’, ‘Delice Gold and Wine’, or ‘Little Kiss’ display bicoloured flowers.

This nectariferous and melliferous flowering, renewing without interruption, is highly visited by pollinating insects, bees, and butterflies that delight in its nectar.

Pink and red, blue, white tones… sages display soft or vivid, very varied colours

Main species and varieties

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Salvia microphylla Blue Note

A prize-winning shrubby sage awarded at Saint Jean de Beauregard in 2010 for its striking flowering in intense royal blue!

• Flowering time June to December
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Salvia microphylla grahamii Hot Lips

A remarkable variety distinguished by its flowers that change colour depending on ambient temperature. It can withstand frosts of around -10/-12°C in very well-drained, even dry soil.

• Flowering time June to November
• Height at maturity 90 cm

See the product sheet

Salvia microphylla Pink Lips

This is a stunning bicoloured version with pink and white flowers! A unique presence, whether in borders or in large pots on the terrace.

• Flowering time June to November
• Height at maturity 90 cm

See the product sheet

Salvia jamensis Reve Rouge

This shrubby sage offers pure, deep red flowering - an unprecedented colour among these plants. We love its almost uninterrupted flowering from spring until the first frosts.

• Flowering time June to December
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Salvia Victoria Blue

This brand new shrubby sage forms an upright bush, a rare quality among blue varieties.

• Flowering time June to October
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Salvia guaranitica Black and Blue - Shrubby Sage

A giant species with flowers of an intense, enigmatic deep violet-blue, supported by black bracts until late in the season. A magnificent plant for the back of borders!

• Flowering time September to November
• Height at maturity 1,75 m

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Salvia greggii Alba

A beautiful white Sage! This variety proves quite hardy and very resistant to summer drought.

• Flowering time June to November
• Height at maturity 50 cm

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Salvia microphylla Royal Bumble

A particularly vibrant variety! It stands out with its small flowers in a magnificent deep velvety red.

• Flowering time June to December
• Height at maturity 60 cm

See the product sheet

Salvia greggii Icing Sugar

A rather compact variety that charms mainly with its bicoloured flowering.

• Flowering time August to December
• Height at maturity 60 cm

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Salvia jamensis Violette de Loire

A very recent French hybrid prized for its intense violet-blue flowering. It adapts wonderfully to container growing.

• Flowering time June to December
• Height at maturity 60 cm

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Salvia microphylla Papajan

A new shrubby sage with salmon-pink flowers, from July until the first frosts! Robust but moderately hardy, it will need protection in colder regions.

• Flowering time August to December
• Height at maturity 70 cm

See the product sheet

Planting

Where to Plant Bush Sage?

Native to subtropical and tropical coniferous forests in South America, in the wild, Bush Sage is a plant suited to mild climates; in France, it thrives easily in oceanic or Mediterranean climates. Its hardiness varies greatly. Some hybrid bush sages like Salvia (x) jamensis can withstand temperatures as low as -15°C in perfectly drained soil, while others are far less hardy, especially in damp, cold climates. However, most varieties, such as Salvia microphylla grahamii, tolerate sufficiently low temperatures, around -12°C, allowing them to remain outdoors year-round.

In colder regions, it can be grown in a large pot and moved to a sheltered spot during winter to protect it from severe frosts. In milder areas, it thrives in a sheltered position, in full sun or partial shade. In northern France, it’s advisable to plant it in a very sunny spot, such as against a south-facing wall. It prefers dry soils and sunny locations. Full sun exposure will intensify the fragrance of its foliage. In southern regions, it tolerates light shade. It’s also best to protect it in winter with horticultural fleece and a thick mulch around the stump.

Most varieties appreciate well-drained, rather dry soils: light, ordinary, porous, even chalky soil will suit it perfectly. It requires very well-drained soil, as winter moisture can be fatal. It adapts to stony or even poor soils, though moderately fertile soil will ensure abundant flowering.

With its natural appearance, it’s ideal for dry gardens, coastal areas, and Mediterranean-style gardens. It adds colour and fragrance to gardens, balconies, and terraces. It adapts to many situations, and depending on its mature size, it can brighten up the back of borders, large rockeries, or containers, as it thrives in pots. Smaller varieties are also useful for filling gaps in flower beds or creating low, flowering hedges.

Salvia greggii ‘Alba’ in a dry garden (© Cultivar 403)

When to Plant Bush Sage?

Plant bush sage after the last spring frosts in cold climates, or in September-October in warmer regions.

How to Plant It?

In the ground

It requires very well-drained soil, as it struggles in heavy, waterlogged soils, especially in winter. If your soil is clay-based, improve drainage by mixing in pumice, coarse sand, or gravel, and plant on a mound to allow water to drain away. One or two plants per square metre is sufficient, especially for larger varieties.

• Dig a hole 3 to 4 times wider than the root ball
• Add a layer of drainage material at the bottom
• Position the root ball in the centre, with the collar level with the soil
• You can add a slow-release fertiliser (roasted horn or dried blood)
• Backfill and firm gently
• Water thoroughly

In Pots

For very cold regions, container cultivation is recommended. The growing medium must be free-draining.

• In a pot with drainage holes (at least 30 cm in diameter, larger for tall varieties), add a generous drainage layer (gravel, pumice, or clay pebbles)
• Plant the root ball in a well-draining mix of garden soil, coarse sand, and good-quality compost
• Water well
• Place in a sunny, sheltered spot

→ For more on growing bush sage in pots, read Marion’s advice!

Maintenance, Pruning and Care of Shrub Sage

In the Ground

The shrubby sage proves to be drought-resistant during summer. While it copes perfectly with long, dry summers and requires no watering once well-established, a few waterings will help maintain lush green foliage and abundant flowering. For the first two summers, water regularly but sparingly. After that, it will thrive on rainwater alone, only needing watering during prolonged dry spells.

In spring, you can spread well-rotted compost around the stump, especially if your soil is poor, and lightly rake it into the soil.

In colder regions, apply a thick mulch at the base to protect it from frost and excessive rain (straw or dry leaves).

→ Follow our advice on protecting your plants from the cold.

In Pots

The growing medium dries out faster than in the ground, so it should remain moist in summer to ensure abundant and continuous flowering. Your shrubby sage will need more regular watering, but avoid overwatering: it’s better to underwater than overwater.

In colder regions, move the pot to a frost-free location. During winter, drastically reduce watering to minimise the risk of fungal diseases, to which it can be susceptible due to excess moisture. Indoors, it may suffer from scale insects.

Bring the pot back outside as soon as the weather warms up.

When and How to Prune Shrubby Sages?

Shrubby sages tolerate hard pruning well. In late winter, around late March to early April, use shears to cut back the clump by half to maintain a balanced shape and encourage lower buds. We also recommend regularly deadheading spent flowers to promote new blooms.

Salvia jamensis ‘Raspberry Royale’

Propagation

How to take cuttings from shrubby sage?

You can propagate shrubby sage by taking semi-hardwood cuttings in summer.

• From June to August, use pruning shears to collect 5-10 cm long lignified stems without flowers, cutting just below a node
• Remove the lower leaves
• Plant the cuttings in seed and potting compost
• Place under a humidity dome in a bright spot, but out of direct sunlight
• Keep the compost consistently moist (but not waterlogged) until rooting occurs – this takes 2-3 months
• Protect cuttings from frost in winter by keeping them in a bright, unheated room
• Plant your young plants in the ground the following spring

→ Learn all about shrubby sage propagation in our tutorial!

Pair with

Melliferous and flowering for long months, the bushy sages naturally find their place in country gardens, in perennial and bush beds of a cottage garden, in dry gardens, by the seaside, and also in Mediterranean gardens where they thrive in the warm, sunny climate.

In a large rockery, pair low-growing varieties of bushy sages with lavenders, ground-cover roses, rosemary, rockery campanulas, and cistus. In beds or mixed borders in the “cottage garden” style, they will complement gauras, asters, roses, phlox, and other colourful flowerings such as Nepetas, Leucanthemum, Echinaceas, Delphiniums, Cosmos, Dahlias, alliums…

Salvia jamensis ‘Ribambelle’, lavender, cistus and rosemary

In a natural composition, medium-sized bushy sages will add a splash of colour among grasses such as Stipa tenuifolia or Miscanthus sinensis, alongside the airy flowerings of yarrows or purpletop vervain.

Taller sages make excellent candidates for the back of beds, alongside tall sedums (Sedum ‘Matrona’), bush cinquefoils, and large, bushy autumn asters (Aster turbinellus, Aster Laevis, Kalimeris mongolica), which will accompany them right up to winter’s doorstep.

Use the flamboyant flowering of certain sages to create colourful contrasts. For example, plant red bushy sages (‘Flammenn’, ‘Royal Bumble’) right next to a sky-blue flowering Cape leadwort—the combination of the two hues is striking! The silvery foliage of artemisias or dusty millers will soften the display with their grey, downy leaves.