Fragrant pitcher sage

Lepechinia fragrans

Description

Known as the Fragrant pitcher sage, this rambling perennial is a top choice for shady areas among other California natives and to attract hummingbirds. It grows up to 3-5 ft. tall and 3-6 ft. wide, is covered with fine hairs for a fuzzy character, and produces colorful dark to light purple flowers in the spring. Crushed foliage releases a pleasing fragrant scent.

The Fragrant pitcher sage is a short-lived perennial for semi-shade gardens in the Inland Empire. It is a good understory companion plant among Western sycamore and Western redbud trees, ribes, coral bells and Douglas iris. Its fast growth and attractiveness to hummingbirds make it key part of this woodland style landscape.

Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Foliage Character: Semi-deciduous
Habit: Open, Mounding, Arching
Growth Rate: Fast
Foliage Color: Pale green
Flower Color: Lavender
Flower Season: Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Loam
Exposure Adaptations: Moderate shade, Partial sun
Function: Residential spaces, Hummingbird plant, Container plant, California native, Borders, Fragrant foliage
Height: 3 ft. – 5 ft.
Width: 3 ft. – 6 ft.

Watering Schedule: Low 1

For most situations, we recommend watering deeply every 3-4 weeks after establishment.

Learn how to apply this watering schedule to your landscape on our How to water waterwise and California native plants page.

Important Notes

These are general guidelines. Always observe and adjust as necessary for your landscape.
If it rains over 1” you will likely not need to water for at least another 3-4 weeks. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering.
If you have a “smart timer” or weather sensitive irrigation controller, it is best not to use the automatic weather adjusting features for plants in this category. While very useful for watering higher water demanding plants, those in this category have natural drought adaptations which mean they do not need to be watered more in warm weather. Using the weather adjusting features will result in either overwatering in summer or underwatering in fall and spring.
It is important to group plants with the same water needs together in the landscape to avoid needing to over or under water plants when running your irrigation system.