Germander sage

Salvia chamaedryoides

Description

Germander sage is a low growing perennial to 2-3 ft. tall with a spreading root habit resulting in plants reaching 3-4 ft. wide and greater. Small gray leaves contrast nicely with colorful deep powder-blue flowers in late spring and fall, and intermittently during warm months.

This species is native to central Mexico’s arid climate zones where it survives heat, cold and summer drought. It is well suited for planting along borders, on banks and slopes and in raised planters in Inland Empire gardens where its foliage and flowers provide showy character. It grows best in full sun, on well-drained soils and with reduced summer irrigation. Clipping in late fall can help maintain shape and stimulate more flowering in the spring.

Plant Type: Shrub, Ground cover
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Pale green
Flower Color: Blue
Flower Season: Spring, Fall
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil
Exposure Adaptations: Aridity, All day sun, Drought
Function: Slopes, Raised planters, Hummingbird plant, Foliage accent plant, Flowering accent plant, Container plant, Attracts butterflies, Borders, Small spaces, Banks
Height: 2 ft. – 3 ft.
Width: 3 ft. – 4 ft.

Watering Schedule: Low 2

For most situations, we recommend watering deeply every 2 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 two weeks. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering.
To save water, in many cases you can go longer in between waterings during the winter, often up to 3-4 weeks between watering for well-established plants. Two weeks after watering, check the soil approximately 4” below the surface. If it is still significantly moist, you can wait longer before watering again.
In most cases, if you have a “smart timer” or weather sensitive irrigation controller, you may use these features to save some water in in the fall and winter. If you are using automatic weather adjusting functions, continue to allow the timer to run every two weeks. It will adjust the number of minutes it runs to account for the cooler weather.
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.