Purple power from Mexican bush sage
My favorite salvia for fall is Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha). Fuzzy, purple-and-white spires pop up all over the plant at this time of year, contrasting with narrow, deep-green leaves and pairing beautifully with yellows like copper canyon daisy, tawny ornamental grasses, and the reds and pinks of Autumn sage. Really, what doesn’t look good with Mexican bush sage?
In my hillside garden, its purple spires contrast with the clear red of globemallow (seen in the foreground).
Hummingbirds love the flowers. I watched one sipping from dozens of blooms yesterday, fueling up for the flight south.
I keep it compact by pruning back by half in May, but this is still a large plant come fall. Give it room to spread and prepare to fall in love.
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I too adore mine. They are rooted so easily by the soft stems that pop up in the middle. However they tend to bow their heads with too much water. My husband says they are a bee magnet. Nice to know I can prune them back as mine are way out of hand.
Yours looks great. I love them, too, but mine is in decline the last few years. It’s getting more shade than it used to and I’ve had to water other plants in that bed more than I used to. And it’s OLD! Thinking about pulling it out and putting one somewhere else…
This is my first time to grow leucantha. I love it. It made it through the hot and dry, with flying colors….no pun intended. But, I should have pruned it back. It’s a bit gangly. And, from the comment above, looks like I can have more, from soft stem cuttings. It’s good to have those kind of tips. Those just don’t come on any plant tag.
Thanks….
I love the feel of the blooms of this plant. Pam, what is that in your birdbath? Glass shards? It looks very pretty!
Yep, it’s frosted and tumbled glass, Loree. I used to keep this birdbath in the hot, sunny front garden at my old house, and the water would evaporate in a day. So I went for the idea of water instead. —Pam
Agree! I also love Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’ right now in my northern Calif. garden. It’s loving the cooler temps of Fall. I don’t know if this plant overwinters in Austin?
It does indeed, Karen. I love ‘Indigo Spires’ too. —Pam
One of my favorite plants for fall. It can’t be beat for that color.
I love this plant too and you are right, it is a big plant, It also needs frequent dividing to keep it in bounds. I have the all purple and the purple and white. I was watching the hummingbirds the other day and they visit the white bracts which makes me think that the purple form may not be useful to them. I love the photo of the stock tank and new pathway behind the salvia.
Interesting about the hummingbirds. I wonder if that’s so? The purple form IS lovely though. —Pam
Hi Pam….I’m going off topic here (although I agree the Salvia is nice)…what the heck is the tall spiky plant in the first photo? Under the 2010 in your watermark? It’s form looks like it’s a sculpture not a plant. So upright! I love it what ever it is…
I had a feeling I was going to get a comment from you about that spiky architectural “plant,” Loree. Yes, it’s a painted metal sculpture of an agave (or so it was labeled; its form looks more like a phormium to me). I guess even the real ones are not enough for me anymore. Now I’ve bought a metal one for the garden and painted ones for the walls in my house. —Pam
Gorgeous! And the timing is right for hummingbird migration. I bet you attract lots.
I love this one, too! Alas, mine are now in too much shade. Will have to find a sunny spot for them soon. I remember a child rubbing the velvety flowers, totally in love with this very child-adorable plant.
Always a winner here in the steamy, balmy oftentimes dry Charleston landscape. Your bloom is a few weeks ahead of ours. This will be something to look forward to soon!
This is one of my favorite fall plants as well. In this climate it will over-winter, but only if it has a dry well-drained area. I usually have about a 50/50 success rate, that is until this past winter when all of mine died. However, I replant every spring, getting my plants from the herb section where they are are a quarter of the price when sold as a perennial.
Good tip, Les. —Pam