Velvet Sage Salvia leucantha
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SAL-vee-ah lew-KAN-thuh
- Description
-
Mexican bush sage is a subshrub or herbaceous perennial in the mint family (Lamiaceae) native to Mexico and Central America. It is only hardy from the lower Piedmont to the coastal plain, and extreme winters may kill it. The specific epithet leucantha comes from Latin and means ‘white-flowered.’
This sage prefers rich, evenly moist, well-drained soil but will grow in clays or sands. Once established, it will tolerate some drought. It does best in full sun but tolerates afternoon shade in regions with high summer heat. It grows 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Propagate by division, seeds or stem cuttings. This plant is resistant to deer and rabbits.
The flower stalks bear persistent flower bases or calyces that are velvety and purplish with short-lived, white corollas that do not appear until late summer. The showy, bicolor flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Use Mexican bush sage as a border or mass planting in butterfly, cottage, or pollinator gardens.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Whitefly, aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites are insect problems. Rust, powdery mildew, stem rot, and fungal leaf spot are disease problems.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Vegetable, Herb and Mostly Native Pollinator Garden Pinehurst Greenway Pollinator Habitat Garden, Moore County
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'All Purple'
Flowers are all purple (not bicolor) - 'Danielle's Dream'
Pink and white flowered - 'Midnight'
may be synonym for 'All Purple' - 'Santa Barbara'
Compact form with purple calyces and rose-lavender petals - 'White Mischief'
Flowers are all white (no purple)
- 'All Purple'
- 'All Purple', 'Danielle's Dream', 'Midnight', 'Santa Barbara', 'White Mischief'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'All Purple'
Flowers are all purple (not bicolor) - 'Danielle's Dream'
Pink and white flowered - 'Midnight'
may be synonym for 'All Purple' - 'Santa Barbara'
Compact form with purple calyces and rose-lavender petals - 'White Mischief'
Flowers are all white (no purple)
- 'All Purple'
- 'All Purple', 'Danielle's Dream', 'Midnight', 'Santa Barbara', 'White Mischief'
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Salvia
- Species:
- leucantha
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mexico and Central America
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. This plant is resistant to damage by deer.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Attracts Pollinators
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Dense
- Spreading
- Maintenance:
- Low
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
-
-
Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Type:
- Schizocarp
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Schizocarp with 4 lobes. The lobes break apart at maturity to form 4, single-seeded nutlets.
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Flower Shape:
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Colored Sepals
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Bicolor flowers with white corollas and purple calyces. The white does not appear until late summer into fall.
-
-
Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Soft
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Linear
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Linear, lance-shaped, gray-green leaves (to 4 inches long) have a soft feel.
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Heat
- Rabbits
