Learn the techniques for different species to ensure optimal health and performance
The wonderful world of salvia , or sage ( Salviaspp . and cvs . , Zones 5–11 ) , is vast , wildly colorful , and often quite fragrant . There are well over 900 species , of which California aboriginal sage comprise only about 2 % . blossom color set out from white to purple to red to the darkest of blues . Sizes lay out from small and sprawling to 8 feet high-pitched . One thing they all have in common is their drawing card to bee and hummingbirds . Another is their positivist response to — at the least — an annual pruning .
When to prune
Fall is an ideal fourth dimension to do this . Some might prefer it earlier for a tidier flavour . Our alimony postulate often contradict the motivation of nature , and so there is often a delicate dance going on in the garden of what to do for whose welfare . Wildlife benefits from the dry flowers leave on the plants , so I advocate leaving the flowers on for a while longer before rationalise them back .
‘Black and Blue’ blue anise sage
One of my favorite salvias is ‘ fateful and Blue ’ blue anise salvia ( S. guaranitica‘Black and Blue ’ , Zones 7–10 ) . It is a repeat bloomer all summertime long and into the capitulation . It seems to pick up speed as other sages stay at the sidelines . This salvia has proven to be a voracious spreader in my garden , filling in every useable space . It will even hazard into pathways where , unluckily , it must get pluck out . you may deadhead this plant life and then cut it back by at least half in the fall . My preference is to coppice it ( prune it back to the ground level ) , as it will go wintertime dormant anyway , and then you will be left with mostly twigs for a while .
California white sage
To keep California white sage ( S. apiana , Zones 7–10 ) from becoming too leggy , crop it back to the most full-bodied unexampled bud in early to mid - fall . Often you will have a choice among bud along each stalk , so the conclusion as to how much to cut back will be discretional . I very much enjoy the process of cut this plant back . surely , my finger get a short muggy , but the fragrancy is one of my all - fourth dimension favorites in the garden . The leaves of this plant are used by some Native American clan in spiritual ceremonies , which account for one of its lesser - fuck common names — sanctified salvia . I like to save some of the branches and bundle them to scent my home base .
The same proficiency of cut down back stems to a survival of full-bodied new leaves in early to mid - fall that is used with white sage applies to many other sages , such as Cleveland salvia ( S. clevelandii , Zones 9–10 ) , regal sage ( S. leucophylla , Zones 6–11 ) , and ‘ Mystic Blue Spires ’ salvia ( S.‘Mystic Blue Spires ’ , Zones 7–10 ) .
Autumn sage
For sages with very bantam leafage , like autumn sage ( S. greggiiand cvs . , Zones 6–9 ) , for instance , it would not be worth the trouble to search out the perfect leaf cluster to cut back to . This plant is most well pruned back to the size of it you want it to be in early to mid - fall — and then some — to give it room to acquire back .
Leave pathways richly edged
One of the greatest enjoyments we get from sage , peculiarly from our California native sage , is the sweetness as we brush against the plants while journeying through the garden . It does n’t offend to let plant apportion quad in a path with you — quite the contrary ! In pathway , I recommend leaving sages a little longer than you would elsewhere to evoke their fragrance when brush past them .
— Francesca Corra , APLD , is a across the nation manifest landscape painting designer and possessor of Dirt Diva Designs in Studio City , California .
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Choose a nice, robust cluster of leaves to prune back to on white sage.Photo: Francesca Corra
The dramatic cobalt blue and black flowers of this blue anise sage add vivid contrast to hot-colored flowers elsewhere in the garden.Photo: Francesca Corra
This white sage is a perfectly formed branch cutting to save to burn indoors. Keep part of the stem attached to use as a handle.Photo: Francesca Corra
There are multiple leaves you can cut back to on the squared-off stems of ‘Mystic Blue Spires’ salvia.Photo: Francesca Corra
This autumn sage gets a harsh pruning every year by its homeowner, much to my dismay. It does come back, however, healthier than ever each time.Photo: Francesca Corra
Cleveland sage gets large and bushy, creating a beautiful fragrance when brushed past.Photo: Francesca Corra
