Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Autumn Sage - Pink
Autumn Sage Pink is the pink-flowered form of autumn sage, one of the two most common colors of this desert garden shrub. Small tube-shaped pink flowers cover it in spring and fall, and hummingbirds come for them. It keeps its leaves year round and stays about 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Plant it in morning sun with afternoon shade and give it low to moderate water.
Best for: year-round green with pink flowers in spring and fall, hummingbird beds in filtered shade, and raised planters or large pots.
It stays green through a Valley winter, so the bed never looks bare. Pink flowers cover it in spring and again in fall.
The filtered shade under a palo verde or another desert tree is a good home for it in the low desert. The canopy shields it from the harsh afternoon sun of summer.
It stays small enough for a raised planter or a large patio container. Set several about 2 to 3 feet apart for a planted border.
Reflected heat off walls and paving, or sun all day in summer, stresses it, while deep shade means few flowers. Skip the yearly cutback, and it grows woody and leggy.
- Massed bed2 ft apart
- Border or row3 ft apart
Water every 3 to 4 days for the first two weeks, then every 6 to 7 days. By weeks 7 and 8, water about every 10 to 14 days. After that, keep stretching the time between waterings.
Once it is rooted, it needs low to moderate water. It blooms and looks better with regular water in summer, and it needs water less often in winter.
In the Valley, morning sun with afternoon shade, or filtered shade, suits it best. Avoid reflected heat and all-day sun, since heat stress sets in once highs reach about 110°F. Deep shade cuts the bloom.
In late winter or early spring, cut it back by about half, or hard to 4 to 6 inches to renew it. A trim in mid-summer sets up a strong fall bloom. Snip off spent flower spikes for more flowers.
Foamy spots on the stems are spittlebugs, and they are harmless. Trim off the affected stems if they bother you.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is pink autumn sage evergreen in Phoenix?
Yes. It keeps its leaves through a Valley winter, so you can plant it where you want green all year.
How big does pink autumn sage get?
It grows fast to about 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Plant it 2 to 3 feet apart so the mounds just touch.
How far apart do you plant autumn sage?
Plant it about 2 to 3 feet apart. Use 2 feet for a massed bed and 3 feet for a border or row.
Where should I plant autumn sage in Phoenix?
Plant it in filtered shade, like under a palo verde, or where it gets morning sun and afternoon shade. Avoid hot reflective spots and deep shade.
How often do I water autumn sage?
Water it more often for the first couple of months while it roots. After that, give it low to moderate water, with less in winter.
When should I cut back autumn sage?
In late winter or early spring, cut it back by about half. Trim it by half again in August for fall flowers, and remove old flower spikes as they fade.
Why is my autumn sage leggy?
Without regular pruning it sprawls and gets woody and spindly. A yearly cutback keeps it full, and it can be cut to about 6 inches to renew it.
What is the white foam on my autumn sage?
That is a spittlebug, the most common pest on autumn sage, and it does little harm to the plant. Cut off the stems it is on if you want it gone.
Does pink autumn sage attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds visit the pink flowers in spring and fall, and bees and butterflies come too. Remove old flower spikes as they fade to keep the flowers coming.
How cold hardy is autumn sage?
It is rated hardy to somewhere between 0°F and 15°F, most often 0°F. It stays evergreen through a Valley winter and needs no frost cover.
Do rabbits eat autumn sage?
Rabbits tend to leave it alone, since the leaves smell like herbs when brushed. You usually do not need to fence it.
Autumn Sage - Pink for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Autumn Sage Pink is a small evergreen shrub covered in pink flowers each spring and fall, and hummingbirds visit it through both bloom seasons. Below is how it does in a Valley yard, from size, spacing, shade and water to trimming, spittlebugs and cold.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Does pink autumn sage grow well in the low desert?
Yes. Pink is one of the two most common autumn sage colors, along with red. In the low desert it does best in filtered shade or with afternoon shade, and it keeps its leaves through winter.
Where should you plant autumn sage in Phoenix?
Pick filtered shade under a desert tree, or an east side with morning sun. Hot reflective spots and all-day summer sun stress it, and deep shade cuts the flowers.
How far apart do you plant autumn sage?
Plant it about 2 to 3 feet apart for a border, or about 2 feet apart for a massed bed. A single plant needs about 2 to 3 feet of room.
When do you cut back autumn sage?
Cut it back by about half in late winter or early spring. A second cut by half in August sets up the fall flowers, and removing spent spikes keeps it blooming.
What is the white foam on autumn sage?
White foam on the stems is from spittlebugs. They are the most common pest on autumn sage and do little harm, so just trim off the stems if they bother you.
How often do you water autumn sage in Arizona?
Water more often while it gets rooted, then taper to low to moderate water, with less in winter. It blooms better with regular water in summer.
What is the difference between pink and hot pink autumn sage?
Both are autumn sage and grow the same size, about 2 to 3 feet. The difference is the shade of pink. We carry both, plus red, Furman's Red and Hot Lips.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.