Tips for Cultivating and Nurturing Mexican Sagebrush

A plant that can withstand drought and comes back every year has the added bonus of attracting pollinators. Jennifer Lesser, a lifestyle writer based in New Jersey, provides this information on The Spruce. She has written for numerous publications, including Time Out NY and NJ Monthly, for over 16 years. Debra LaGattuta, a Master Gardener with more than 30 years of experience in perennial and flowering plants, container gardening, and raised bed vegetable gardening, reviews the article. She is part of a program called Plant-A-Row, which donates thousands of pounds of organically-grown vegetables to local food banks, and is a member of The Spruce Garden Review Board.

Mexican bush sage, scientifically known as Salvia leucantha, is an evergreen shrubby perennial that is highly valued for its dense, arching spikes. This plant blooms in late summer and early fall with beautiful cascading velvety purple flowers that attract beneficial pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds. It makes an excellent companion plant when grown alongside other pollinator-friendly plants such as sedum and coneflowers.

The Mexican bush sage has unique features like gray-green leaves with a velvet-like texture growing in pairs on square stems. The flower spikes of this plant are about 10 inches long and extend above its soft green foliage, which has a slight silvery tint. It is also soft and hairy to the touch. The most common variety produces bi-color blooms with white corollas and purple calyces, but there are also other varieties like ‘Midnight,’ ‘Pink Velour,’ and ‘White Mischief’ that produce deep purple, pink, and white blooms, respectively.

Native to Central America and Mexico, Mexican bush sage is easy to care for and requires little maintenance. It does not self-seed, so it won’t overgrow in unwanted areas. However, it is not winter hardy in locations that drop below freezing, and it is grown as an annual in most parts of the United States. The best time to plant it is in the spring after the threat of frost passes, and it can grow up to two to three feet tall within one growing season. It can handle heavy pruning during the growing season but avoid pruning in late fall or winter as it helps insulate the plant’s roots.

In conclusion, Mexican bush sage, also known as velvet sage, belongs to the Lamiaceae family and is a perennial plant that grows up to 2 to 3 ft. tall and wide. It prefers full sun exposure and moist but well-drained soil with a pH range of acidic, neutral, or alkaline. This plant is native to North and Central America and produces blooms in purple, pink, or white.

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To take care of Mexican bush sage, choose a sunny location with fertile, well-drained soil. Incorporating aged manure into the soil can promote growth, and spacing plants three feet apart with a layer of mulch can prevent weeds and retain moisture. Mexican bush sage can be propagated through cuttings and overwintered indoors or outdoors depending on your area’s winter temperatures. While the plant can develop infestations and fungal diseases, it is generally low-maintenance.

Mexican bush sage prefers full sun but can tolerate partial sun. Drought-tolerant, it still needs watering during hot summers and weekly watering during its initial growing season to develop strong roots. Mexican bush sage can survive drought periods longer than two weeks without significant rainfall. It requires heavier soils than other plants and can handle soil with good drainage. A three- or four-inch layer of organic compost worked into the soil can improve drainage and provide nutrients.

Mexican bush sage blooms in the late summer and early fall and only survives winters above 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Fertilize with an all-purpose, balanced fertilizer before new shoots emerge in the spring at the recommended rate.

There are different types of Mexican bush sage, including Salvia leucantha ‘Midnight,’ which can reach five feet tall and wide and has dark purple calyces and purple flowers. Salvia leucantha ‘Pink Velour’ produces rosy pink tubular flowers with white calyxes and grows three to four feet tall and wide. Salvia leucantha ‘White Mischief’ produces fuzzy white blooms on large plants up to four feet wide and eight feet tall when planted in fertile soil.

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The Mexican bush sage is a great addition to any pollinator garden, and it thrives when planted with other species that require similar care. Consider planting it alongside plants like Mexican sunflowers, marigolds, lantanas, chrysanthemums, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and sedum to attract bees and butterflies.

Pruning the Mexican bush sage helps promote denser growth and abundant blooms. Shear the plant two or three times during the spring and summer while removing any dead, damaged, or scraggly stems. Deadhead faded flowers to encourage blooming again in the autumn months. In warmer climates, shear the plant to the ground in winter, while keeping the dead growth intact until the spring in colder zones.

The Mexican bush sage can be propagated with cuttings taken in the spring or summer. Use stem cuttings with four to five nodes, dip the end into rooting hormone, and plant them in a pot filled with moist potting mix located in a warm, sunny area. Water them well, and after a few weeks, the plant should have developed new foliage and a root system.

To overwinter the plant, cut it back in February, and new growth will emerge in the spring. You can also bring it indoors if you live in an area with frost, but make sure it has ample sunlight and good drainage. The Mexican bush sage is susceptible to pests like whiteflies, aphids, and spider mites, as well as diseases like rust and leaf spot.

Encourage healthy blooming by caring for your Mexican bush sage in its early growth stages and placing it in full sun. Deadhead faded flowers and maintain proper moisture during the blooming season. If you notice leaves falling off or turning yellow, adjust your watering practices and soil composition. Overall, the Mexican bush sage is low-maintenance and problem-free, making it an excellent addition to any garden.