DATE: 06/04/07

CONTACT: Clemson Extension Home & Garden Information Center , 1-888-656-9988

WRITER: Anthony Keinath, plant pathologist

Palmetto Gardening - SANTA BARBARA — A SUPERIOR SALVIA

CLEMSON – Mexican bush sage, Salvia leucantha, is a popular, fall-blooming perennial salvia. Few named cultivars were available until ‘ Santa Barbara ’ was introduced. This superior selection should be the first choice for anyone interested in adding Mexican bush sage to his or her garden.

‘ Santa Barbara ’ grows 30 inches tall and wide. Although it is often advertised as a dwarf form of Mexican bush sage, it is only 10 inches shorter than the regular form. Still, ‘ Santa Barbara ’ is more compact and produces more flower spikes per plant than regular Mexican bush sage. The flower spikes reach 10 to 17 inches long.

Both the petals and sepals (“flower leaves”) of salvias are colored; the sepals are joined together to make a bract (or base) for the individual flowers. ‘ Santa Barbara ’ has magenta-purple petals and bracts. The bracts are darker than the petals and are hairy, which gives them a soft, velvety look.

‘ Santa Barbara ’ blooms from August through October and provides a fresh spot of color for late summer and fall. Although ‘ Santa Barbara ’ and other Mexican bush sages are recommended for full sun locations, they also will bloom in part sun in the coastal plain of South Carolina. Like most other salvias, ‘ Santa Barbara ’ tolerates heat and drought. Although it prefers well-drained soil, ‘ Santa Barbara ’ and other Mexican bush sages will withstand occasional periods when soil stays wet after heavy rains.

‘ Santa Barbara ’ does not appear to be as cold-tolerant as regular Mexican bush sage. Stems should not be cut back in the fall; rather, wait until new growth shows in the spring. A less desirable alternative to leaving old stems is to prune them after frost and mulch the plant with 4 inches of pine straw.

Mexican bush sage attracts butterflies, especially yellow sulphurs, and hummingbirds. The flower spikes with their colorful, persistent bracts can be dried. This plant is not eaten by deer or rabbits.

For answers to your gardening, pest and food safety questions, visit the Clemson Extension Home & Garden Information Center website at http://hgic.clemson.edu or call us toll-free at 1-888-656-9988.

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