Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Mexican Bush Sage
Mexican Bush Sage is a soft, velvety shrub that saves its big show for late summer and fall. Long, arching spikes of purple with small white flowers rise above narrow gray-green leaves. It grows fast to about 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, and hummingbirds, butterflies and bees work the flowers. Plant it along a path where people can touch it, with some shade from the western afternoon sun.
Best for: fall color in a border or mass planting, hummingbird and butterfly beds, and soft, touchable plantings along a path or patio.
Mass it about 2 to 3 feet apart for a band of purple in fall. Give it room, because it keeps growing all summer before the flowers start.
Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees visit the flower spikes. It blooms late in the year, from late summer until the first frost.
The flower spikes are soft and velvety, and the narrow leaves are gray-green with wooly white undersides. Set it where people walk past, or in a large patio pot.
Hot western sun is hard on it in Phoenix. Frost near 20°F knocks it back to the roots. Heavy flower stems can flop and break, and too much shade or water makes it sprawl.
- 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.
It looks stressed in Valley summers without enough water, and it blooms best with regular water. Water less often in winter.
Give it sun with shade from the western afternoon sun. Too much shade makes it leggy and floppy.
In early spring, cut it back hard, even to the ground, to clear frost damage. A light trim in early summer keeps it bushier. Remove aging flower clusters as they fade.
Below about 20°F it freezes back. Leave the damage until early spring, then cut it back, and it regrows from the roots.
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 big does Mexican bush sage get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide, and it keeps getting bigger all summer before it blooms. Give it that much room from the start.
When does Mexican bush sage bloom in Phoenix?
It blooms from late summer through fall, until the first frost, after spending spring and summer growing. Give it room and regular summer water so it is big and ready for the autumn show.
Does Mexican bush sage need full sun or shade in Phoenix?
It takes full sun to part shade. In Phoenix, give it shade from the hot western afternoon sun. Too much shade makes it leggy as it reaches for light.
How often should I water Mexican bush sage?
It needs moderate water. In Phoenix it looks stressed without enough water in summer, so water it regularly then, and cut back on water in winter.
How far apart should I plant Mexican bush sage?
Plant it about 2 to 3 feet apart for a massed bed. Give it room, since a single plant can spread 3 to 6 feet across by fall.
When should I cut back Mexican bush sage?
Cut it back hard in late winter or early spring, after frost, even to the ground, and it regrows with fresh stems. A light trim in early summer keeps it bushier.
Does Mexican bush sage come back after a freeze?
Yes. It freezes back around 20°F and returns from the roots in spring. Cut off the frozen growth once frost danger is over.
Why is my Mexican bush sage floppy?
As it flowers, the heavy spikes spread outward and stems can fall over and break. Too much water or shade makes it sprawl more. Remove old flower clusters and trim it in early summer.
Does Mexican bush sage attract hummingbirds?
Yes. Hummingbirds visit the flower spikes, and butterflies and bees do too. Plant it where you can watch the fall show from a patio.
Do rabbits and deer eat Mexican bush sage?
They tend to leave it alone, since the narrow gray-green leaves are aromatic. You usually do not need to fence it.
What soil does Mexican bush sage need?
It handles heavier soil better than most salvias, but the soil still needs to drain. Avoid low spots where water stands, since soggy ground can rot the roots.
Why is Mexican bush sage so fuzzy?
The purple parts of the spike are velvety cups that hold small white flowers, and the stems and leaves are covered in soft down. Plant it along a path where people can touch it.
Mexican Bush Sage for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Mexican Bush Sage grows all summer and then covers itself in velvety purple spikes from late summer until frost. It is fast, soft to the touch and a favorite of hummingbirds. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from size and spacing to sun, water, the yearly cutback 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.
How big does Mexican bush sage get in Arizona?
Plan on about 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide. It grows fast, forming a loose, spreading mound of arching stems.
When does Mexican bush sage bloom in Phoenix?
It blooms from late summer through fall, until the first frost. The long, arching spikes are purple with small white flowers.
Does Mexican bush sage need shade in Phoenix?
It takes full sun to part shade. In Phoenix, shade from the western afternoon sun helps. In deep shade it gets leggy and top heavy.
When to cut back Mexican bush sage in Arizona
Cut it back hard in late winter or early spring, after frost danger has passed. Going all the way to the ground clears frost damage and brings fresh growth. A light trim in early summer keeps it bushier.
How far apart to plant Mexican bush sage
Space plants about 2 to 3 feet apart for a massed bed. A single plant spreads 3 to 6 feet, so give it room.
Does Mexican bush sage come back after a freeze?
Yes. It freezes back at about 20°F and returns from the roots. In frost-free spots it keeps its leaves through winter.
Mexican bush sage vs autumn sage
Mexican bush sage is bigger, at 3 to 5 feet, and blooms from late summer through fall. Autumn sage stays about 2 to 3 feet and blooms mostly in spring and fall. Both draw hummingbirds to the garden.
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.