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Mexican Sage Bush
Salvia leucantha ‘Santa Barbara’
Mexican bush sage is a bushy evergreen subshrub in
frostfree climes, and a returning perennial where it gets frosted
back in winter. It grows in a loose, spreading mound up to 2-4 ft
(0.6-1.2 m) tall and about the same width. The leaves are lance
shaped, like willow leaves, 1-5 in (2.5-12.7 cm) long, puckery on
top and white-wooly underneath. They are on petioles about an inch
long and arranged in opposite pairs along the squarish stems. The
young, fast growing stems are thick and conspicuously white-wooly.
From autumn throughout winter (or until the first frost) Mexican
bush sage blooms with white flowers 1-2 (2.5-5 cm) long that extend
from velvety purple or lavender-blue calyces. The bicolored inflorescences
are borne in very showy elongated arching clusters 6-12 (15-30.5
cm) in length at the ends of erect, spreading stems. At any given
time, there will be just a few actual flowers per cluster, but lots
of pretty purple calyces. These inflorescences are profuse and extend
way beyond the foliage, making this one of the most attractive of
the salvias. Some cultivars of Mexican bush sage (for example, 'Midnight'
and 'Purple Velvet') have flowers the same color as the purple calyces.
Plant Type: Spreading subshrub
Origin: Mexico
Zones: 9 - 10
Height: 2'-3'
Rate of Growth: Fast
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Soil Requirements: Well-drained soil
Water Requirements: Drought tolerant
Nutritional Requirements: Balanced liquid fertilizer
monthly
Light Requirements: Full sun
Form: Arching subshrub
Leaves: 2"-6" linear lanceolate, aromatic;
pinch young plants to promote fullness
Flowers: Long, slender spikes of lavender or white
flowers, cut out old stems after flowering
Fruits: None
Pests: Few
Uses: Border shrub
Mexican bush sage is easy to propagate from root cuttings
and stems that have rooted where they touch the ground. Ordinary
stem cuttings can also be rooted.
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