Photos by Emily Green. Salvia apiana I leave alone until the inflorescences begin to go black, then I cut them to the first live joint. Culinary Sku #7201. Each cell is 3/4 of inch by Bottom: Cleveland sage flowers that were purple for most of the summer, then provided seed for birds and are ready for pruning. By contrast, if it is looking leggy and ragged, Mexican sage can be and should be cut almost to the ground – leaving 6 inches to a foot or so of stalk and some flowers to placate the angry hummingbirds (take those off after the cut branches recover). To keep California white sage (S. apiana, Zones 7–10) from becoming too leggy, prune it back to the most robust new buds in early to mid … Each of these shrubs are about six years old and Keep part of the stem attached to use as a handle. Once the flowers are removed, think of it as a woody shrub rather than an herb. Beautiful violet-blue flower spikes cover this large bush beginning late April. Gracias Sage is a dwarf cross of Cleveland Sage … Keep in mind that sage tends to become woody and its growth starts to fall after 4 years or so, and it is recommended to replace the plant once you notice the same. Salvia greggii and its brittle-limbed ilk, whose spring clouds of fragrant foliage and flowers now look like a mass of kindling, benefit from two passes with the pruners. If you want to remove it, now is the time to do it. When cutting, it will need reducing by two-thirds, even three-fourths, which can leave a large gap 10 months of the year. Specialty Gardens Watching the flush of flowers drying on the branch through July and August makes for too many sunset grace notes. easily span 8 feet in diameter. Feature The most important tip for growing Cleveland Sage is to prune the bush for shape after it blooms. Native to Southern California and Baja California. flowers. 1. The second should get at the tangle of old undergrowth, removing dead wood and getting out any grasses and weeds near the trunk. Last spring, horticulturist Lili Singer remarked to me that one of the most touching mistakes she sees made by novice dry gardeners is timidity in pruning their sages. In low-elevation zones, water chaparral sage every four to six days in the summer. Prune plants twice during the year to keep size … If you have your sage plant with purely ornamental purposes, that is to say, you will not take advantage of its leaves in your kitchen, the pruning of flowers … Perhaps the most common and easiest-to-grow native sage is Salvia clevelandii and its numerous hybrids. | Plug Trays | Pruning will make way for tender new growth that will be vulnerable to the cold and may be damaged or killed. Sage plants should be replaced every four years so that there are enough productive stems to prune and harvest. Photos by Emily Green. New growth has supple stems, but older growth is stiff. Use the following tables as a guideline to determine the right time to prune for many common shrubs. Fragrant Mature Size: 5' high by 6' wide. sometimes available in plug When Canary Island sage flowers in June and July, its mauve to purple flowers are glorious, but in a single season, this plant is perfectly capable of growing to 8 feet tall and becoming just as wide. The plant was named in 1874 by Asa Gray, honoring plant collector Daniel Cleveland. that you might be tempted to grow it so you can bring in armloads of How to Prune Native Plants (without killing them) General Pruning Tips. bush blooms again the next year then the new growth will pretty much hide If you can live with the spent flower heads until the Leaving the old flower heads will cause the bush to open up in the center. Step 4 Let sage plants grow in the fall to let them store food for the winter. The secrets of Cleveland Sage. Culinary sage (Salvia officinalis) produces aromatic foliage for fresh or dried use in the kitchen. flowering or planted in a breeze. Wholesale Information | Search | Contact | FAQ's| Salvia clevelandii Cleveland Sage. Yet by late August, those fluttering elegies to spring just look dead, and it’s as obvious to the most laissez faire gardener as it is to the fire marshal that it is time to prune. This practice, in addition to influencing the good taste will stimulate the growth of the leaves. wonderful choice for naturalizing large areas. A drought resistant perennial, Cleveland Sage is a As a salvia, cousin to our kitchen sage, this plant is rich in essential oils that make it intensely fragrant, particularly when condition are hot and dry. Shrubs Newsletter | Cleveland Sage grows so abundantly About Us A drought resistant perennial, Cleveland Sage is a wonderful choice for naturalizing large areas. Photos: Top: Black sage flower. Common Problems and Solutions for Growing Sage Rust. Photos: Top: Black sage flower. When And How To Prune Perennial Salvia And Sage Plants. spring turns to summer. last year's dead flowers. This photo shows Cleveland Ornamental, Sign up to be notified of sales events Ditto deadwood. Attracts hummingbirds and bees, this drought resistant perennial is perfect for naturalizing large areas. These types of salvias are better to prune in spring (in colder climates) because the old-growth will protect the fleshy new growth over the winter. They stand about 3 to 4 feet tall. [1] X Research source Live woody st… bloom is finished with its dead flower heads still proudly waving in the List | Sage cover the large southwestern native bushes for 5 or 6 weeks starting in late April. Bloom: The fullest bloom is in the spring, with sporadic flowering the rest of the year. A shrub roughly 3–5 feet in size, flowering spikes rise up to a foot above the plant during the summer months, holding 1–3 … Posted by Brent Wilson on 6/26/2016 to Pruning Tips. Stop pruning in late August or … Sage is a woody perennial plant classified as a subshrub. Cut … Two flamboyant Mediterranean sages often seen in California are Jerusalem and Canary Island sage. I used this method recently to turn a hearty Cleveland sage plant into 150 cuttings. The last of mine is about to have its swan song this year, leaving a large and tantalizing gap to put a better-proportioned, more fragrant and nectar-licious native in its stead come fall planting season. Dried Flower, I love the look of this plant, but compared with natives, it’s got mediocre wildlife value here in California. that just one flower stem can be overwhelming. In the video, you’ll see me working on a Salvia leucantha (Mexican Bush Sage), Salvia elegans (Pineapple Sage) and Salvia Waverley which I just talk about. So, to encourage reblooming and more blooms, which will make your hummingbirds and other … Cleveland sage can be grown in containers, but I've seen it casually massed to best effect. Sage bushes are fragrant additions to a garden, with striking gray-green leaves that add a punch of flavor to dishes in the kitchen. How hard to cut back sage depends on the species. trays. Zone Information sonomensis. As one of the largest sages, it needs enough space for it to fill in. Growth rate: Rapid. Rust is a fungal disease that reduces plant vigor, and if it gets terrible, the plant can die. The stems can be woody, so thin them to encourage new growth. Log Out, View complete list of organic herbs & perennials �, Not sure what you're looking for? Bottom: Cleveland sage flowers that were purple for most of the summer, then provided seed for birds and are ready for pruning. You shouldn't need to prune the plant because it is too large for the space (instead replace it with a lower growing plant). Books | With some very easy and simple snipping, many Salvia species will bloom from spring or summer all the way to frost. The leaves of the most common variety of sage shrubs are green and light purple in color. Trim your sage plants in the springtime instead, just as new leaves begin to emerge. Cleveland sage can be cut back to one-half. Flowers: Blue trumpet-shaped flowers clustered on the ends of branches. If you design the planting appropriately pruning should only be part of the late summer and late winter clean up. Unlike some plants, Cleveland Sage either needs to be pruned after Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha and cvs., Z 10–11) 4. Chaparral sage requires well-drained soil. The sage is doing fine but it is a bit leggy, so I prune it to encourage a … Prune in the spring to remove spent, flowering stalks. New growth has supple stems, but older growth is stiff. One exception is white sage. Gracias Sage is a dwarf cross of Cleveland Sage and Salvia Gift Certificate | A dramatic shrub that starts blooming as It's a wonderful culinary sage, but it's important to go easy with it, since it's very strong. Step 3 Prune as desired throughout the summer for culinary purposes and to keep the plant from getting leggy. If space demands, do this. Cleveland Sage is a beautiful, fast growing and highly aromatic species of sage native to the coast of southern California and northern Baja California. Sage (Salvia Officinalis) is a common garden plant with good fragrance. […] Birds flock to Cleveland sage plants to gobble seed, and the dried flowers, though brown, are attractive in a naturalized landscape. Passing dogs and kids then knock limbs off and contribute to the shaping process. This is a small, hairy, grey-green shrub native to the chaparral and coastal sage scrub plant … Blue-mist shrubs (Caryopteris x clandonensis cvs., Z 5–9) 3. Cleveland Sage Plug Trays are available. Sage grows well in a variety of climates, and it can survive in temperatures as low as zero degrees … great low cost way to fill a lot of space. Click on the links below to learn more about these species in Fine Gardening‘s Plant Guide. Mediterranean kitchen sage and its wild California cousins such as S. Clevelandii will tell you where to trim. Leaf retention: Frost and drought deciduous. To learn about pruning sage and other herbs, check out … If it seems late, it isn’t. Although it is stated in Care and Maintenance that white sage does not need any pruning except the removal of old flower stalks, my white sage grows in a spot that gets full sun in summer but shade in winter when the sun is blocked by the house. Some gardeners prune plants after flowering to get a second flush of bloom. Plant Descriptions | Every year they grow larger and the display becomes more Sometimes hard pruning can correct this and sometimes not. But I love this plant precisely because of a habit that yawns and stretches, and only cut vividly dead or dying old flower stalks. Water Conserving, Uses: Butterfly, Reduce, thin and shape it, but avoid severing main branches. Sage is a woody perennial plant classified as a subshrub. Cleveland sage is also a fire … These salvias are very simple to prune. Best with infrequent watering. Yes, you can literally turn one plant into hundreds of plants, if it’s the right plant. What saves it from removal every year is a long show of yellow flowers and handsome foliage that make it a handsome sentinel almost year round. Podcasts | and new arrivals, Home The smell of sage is the smell of the California chaparral. Prune sage plants again just before they bloom. Hummingbird, Evergreen, Our perfect shrub sometimes get pruned The older it gets the thicker and woodier the stems get. The beautiful flower heads of Cleveland Sage cover the large southwestern native bushes for 5 or 6 weeks starting in late April. Old, dark inflorescences should go. Many common herbs can be easily re-created by taking simple cuttings off of their new stems and rooting them in a sandy potting soil. The flowers as well as the foliage of Cleveland sage are fragrant, and will release their scent if brushed up against along a path or planter edge. No sage gets the pruning hand itching quite like Salvia canariensis. Every year they grow larger and the display becomes more spectacular. So, as you can imagine I’m more than a little excited that we’re about to change his (yes, I think of Sage as a boy…. Newsletters | in Zones 8-11, Characteristics: Full Sun, Prune sage in the springtime. clevelandii S. greggii S. leucantha Spring, or spring through summer. just as Rosemary is a girl J ) hair style. It makes a nice ground cover for open areas. Photo: Francesca Corra California white sage. It was one of the first plants I planted, and it survived a period where I couldn't water at all during a hot summer, so I give it high marks for xeriscaping. an inch. Hardiness: Perennial Organic Certification | The first should reduce and shape the crown. Autumn Sage Mexican Bush Sage Salvia. With thanks to Lili for the push, I am going to echo the prompt in this column in the hope that others may learn to work out their frustrations on their gardens in such a timely fashion. Its common names include Blue sage, Fragrant sage, and Cleveland sage. They are also known to have deep purple- or soft yellow-colored leaves. Quick See our cross-reference guide �, View our complete list of organic vegetables �. But, beware, this plant has significant fragrance and some find Description Form: Semi-woody shrub. Most plants will do their best if allowed to grow to their natural form and shape. Initially, the leaves may have light colored spots before turning … Water every seven to ten days in the winter. Experts far more expert than I recommend deeper cuts to achieve a dense, round and bush-like form the following year. this size make a good hiding place for birds. | Ordering Information | | Plant As Lili notes, birds move in and glean the seeds. naturalized setting where the brown flower pods blend in. Other gardeners allow flowers to dry and set seed. This plant is Allow plenty of room for this plant to grow, as it can reach a mature size in excess of 5 feet tall by 6 feet wide. For the leaves to retain their best flavor all year round, always prune the flower buds before they start to bloom. The older it gets the thicker and woodier the stems get. This will help to prune the flowers of the plant before they open. Middle: white sage and ceanothus in need of pruning, in front of sunset palms. Prune above a fork in the branch, or above a pair of leaves. Middle: white sage and ceanothus in need of pruning, in front of sunset palms. Sage grows into a small woody shrub of about three feet (one meter) in height. Only the most ferociously organized gardeners dead-head sage as soon as the flowers fade in June. How to Prune Woody Herbs on September 29, 2015 We’ve got an extensive collection of herbs for culinary, medicinal and garden health purposes and while they mostly need nothing from us, I do give the woody herbs a drastic haircut around now (spring’ish) to bring on fresh, abundant growth. How to Prune Culinary Sage. Sage six months after It needs pruning or it just gets bigger and bigger; we prune it back in the winter. My Jerusalem sage generally gets reduced by half, cut to the point where I can see new foliage starting, then it’s thinned and cleaned up. | Shop | The beautiful flower heads of Cleveland Join our Pruning sage Prune Your Perfect Sage herb Before we start - I’m (not) proud to show you my two year old deliberately unpruned and neglected Sage bush. And so, in the summer edition of the Theodore Payne Foundation’s Poppy Print newsletter,  she nudges native gardening converts to do it. They are a Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a hardy perennial (in zones 5 to 9) that tastes aromatic and slightly bitter.It is easy to grow, only having three major requirements - plenty of sunshine, good drainage and good air circulation. This white sage is a perfectly formed branch cutting to save to burn indoors. How to Prune a Sage Bush. Sage plants should be replaced every four years so that there are enough productive stems to prune and harvest. Prune sage bushes lightly in summer after flowering. It is not advisable to prune sage during the fall or winter. This plant can be e… spectacular. Blue anise sage (Salvia guaranitica and cvs., Z 8–10) 2. Fruit: Up to four tiny seeds at the base … Photo/Illustration: Jennifer Brown Russian sage. Cleveland Sage Salvia clevelandii. Do not under any circumstances stump these plants as one might a Mexican sage, unless of course you are trying to kill it. This sage can be used both fresh and dried in cooking. These trays hold 128 of all the same plant. Ours have many resident Quail. Salvia clevelandii, the fragrant sage, blue sage, Jim sage and Cleveland sage, is a perennial plant that is native to Southern California and northern Baja California, growing below 900 m (3,000 ft) elevation in California coastal sage and chaparral habitat. In Stock | Check here to see if and sometimes doesn't.