Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Chaparral Sage
Chaparral Sage is an evergreen shrub grown for its strongly fragrant, gray-green leaves. In spring and early summer it sends up tall spikes with round clusters of blue-violet flowers stacked along the stem. Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees come to the flowers. It grows fast to about 4 to 5 feet tall, and in the Valley it does best with some relief from the afternoon sun.
Best for: fragrance along a path or patio, hummingbird and butterfly gardens, and a spot with afternoon shade and soil that drains fast.
The leaves give off a strong, sweet sage scent when you brush them, when they warm up, or after watering. Plant it beside a path, walk or patio edge where people pass. Leave it room, since it spreads 4 to 6 feet.
Round clusters of blue-violet flowers are stacked along tall spikes in spring and early summer. Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees all visit them.
In the Valley it does best with shade from the western summer sun. Give it about 4 to 6 feet of room, since it can spread that wide.
Too much water or soil that stays wet can rot the roots, so plant it where water drains away. Hard summer heat in the low desert can burn it without afternoon shade. It can also be short-lived in Phoenix.
- Group planting6 ft apart
- Planted with more room8 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.
It needs low to moderate water. Do not overwater, since soggy soil can rot the roots. Water less often in winter.
Give it sun with shade from the western afternoon sun in the Valley. Hard summer heat can burn the leaves.
Trim off spent flower stalks after bloom. Cut back old stems lightly in winter or early spring.
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.
How fragrant is chaparral sage?
Chaparral sage is very fragrant. The gray-green leaves release a strong, sweet scent when brushed, warmed by the sun or watered, so plant it beside a path or patio.
How big does chaparral sage get?
About 4 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide, and it grows fast into a rounded shrub. Give it room to spread 4 to 6 feet.
When does chaparral sage bloom in Phoenix?
In spring and early summer. Blue-violet flowers form round clusters stacked along tall spikes. Trim off the spent stalks after bloom.
Can chaparral sage take Phoenix heat?
It grows in the low and middle deserts, but hard summer heat can burn it. Give it shade from the western afternoon sun.
How much water does chaparral sage need?
Low to moderate, in soil that drains well. Water a new plant every 3 to 4 days for the first two weeks, then stretch it out. Once rooted, go easy and water less in winter, since soggy soil can rot the roots.
What soil does chaparral sage need?
It needs soil that drains well, since wet, poorly drained soil can lead to root rot. Native, sandy, loam or rocky soil all work, so plant it where water drains away.
How do you prune chaparral sage?
Trim off spent flower stalks after bloom. Cut back old stems lightly in winter or early spring.
Is chaparral sage short-lived?
Yes, it can be a short-lived shrub. Soil that drains well and shade from the western afternoon sun give it the best chance in the Valley.
Is chaparral sage evergreen?
Yes. It keeps its gray-green leaves all year.
How cold hardy is chaparral sage?
It is rated hardy to somewhere between 10°F and 15°F.
Does chaparral sage attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees visit the flowers.
Do rabbits and deer eat chaparral sage?
They tend to leave it alone. They do not like the strong smell of the leaves.
Chaparral Sage for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Chaparral Sage is a strongly fragrant sage, with gray-green leaves that release their scent when brushed or warmed. Blue-violet flower spikes follow in spring. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and bloom to shade, water, pruning and cold.
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Chaparral sage in Phoenix
Chaparral sage grows in both the low and middle deserts of Arizona. In Phoenix it does best with shade from the western summer sun and soil that drains well. It is evergreen, with gray-green leaves.
Why is chaparral sage so fragrant?
The leaves are strongly scented. They release a sweet sage smell when brushed, when the sun warms them, or after watering. Rabbits and deer tend to avoid it for the same reason.
When does chaparral sage bloom?
It blooms in spring and early summer. The blue-violet flowers form round clusters stacked along the spike, a bit like a kebab.
How big does chaparral sage get?
Plan on about 4 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide. It grows fast into a rounded shrub, so leave it room to spread.
Watering chaparral sage in the desert
Give it low to moderate water in soil that drains. Avoid overwatering, since wet soil can lead to root rot.
Pruning chaparral sage
Remove spent flower stalks after bloom. A light cutback of old stems in winter or early spring keeps it in shape.
Is chaparral sage native to Arizona?
No. It comes from the coastal chaparral of southern California and northern Baja California. It has done well in Arizona's low and middle deserts.
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.