Salvia mellifera

Common Names

Black Sage, Honey Sage, Californian Black Sage

Summary

Black Sage is a native evergreen shrub of coastal California and northern Baja California, typically 3–6 ft tall and 3–5 ft wide, with dark green, wrinkled, highly aromatic leaves and clusters of small white to pale blue or lavender flowers that bloom in spring through summer; its fragrant foliage and resinous stems are distinctive, and it acts as a keystone species supporting native insects, birds, and small mammals in coastal sage scrub and chaparral.

Its cultivation favors full sun and well-drained soils, tolerates poor soils, and is drought-tolerant, requiring minimal irrigation once established; after flowering, light pruning helps maintain shape, and propagation is possible by seed or cuttings; common uses include wildlife habitat plantings, slopes stabilization, erosion control, and drought-tolerant landscapes, with nectar attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Lifecycle

Perennial and Annual

Height

3-6 ft

Spread

3-5 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7-11

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained, sandy-to-loamy soil; pH 5.5–7.5.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil.

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Blue, lavender, white

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Dark green

Fall Foliage Color

Green (evergreen; no fall color change)

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Moderate growth rate.

Seasons of Interest

All four seasons

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division, Layering

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, other pollinators, and birds are attracted.