Santa Rosa Island sage - Inland Valley Garden Planner

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Santa Rosa Island sage — <em>Salvia brandegeei</em>

Description

This California native shrub grows with a rambling branch habit up to 4-5 ft. tall and 5-7 ft. wide. It's aromatic foliage is comprised of medium to dark green leaves, 3-4 in. long, 1/2 in. wide with a wrinkled upper surface. Bright blue to pale lavender flowers develop in whorls on 10-12 in. long spikes for a colorful floral display in early spring.

The Santa Rosa Island sage is native to the Channel Islands and restricted areas of Baja California. The combination of dark green foliage and deep blue flowers provides an attractive contribution to native plant gardens in sunny areas. Like other native sage species, it has aromatic foliage and attracts bees when flowering. Seasonal pruning helps to maintain good shape.

Water Needs

Santa Rosa Island sage grows best in sunny locations on well drained soils and with low amounts of supplemental water during summer. The chart shown below provides a recommended baseline guide to the monthly irrigation schedule and volume of supplemental water needed to maintain healthy growth throughout the average year. It should be noted there are several months indicated by an asterisk (*) when winter rains can provide sufficient moisture and irrigation is not needed. The high and low range of moisture indicates it can grow with varying amounts of water; it is desirable to have leaf litter and the top layer of soil beneath the stems to dry out between irrigation applications.

Irrigation Schedule and Graph

Low Water Use Plants

Irrigation Schedule 1

	Jan*	Feb*	Mar*	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov*	Dec*
Runs per Month	0x to 2x	0x to 2x	0x to 2x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	1x	0x to 2x	0x to 2x
Inches per Run	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"

Inches per Month	0" to 2"	0" to 2"	0" to 2"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	1"	0" to 2"	0" to 2"

Range of supplemental summer water: 7"
Range of supplemental winter water: 0"-10"

0"-2"

Jan*

Feb*

Mar*

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov*

Dec*

For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, click here.

Plant Properties

Plant Type: Shrub, Native
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Sprawling, Mounding
Growth Rate: Moderate
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft.
Width: 5 ft. - 7 ft.
Water Needs: Low 1
Foliage Color: Medium green
Flower Color: Lavender
Flower Season: Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil
Exposure Adaptations: Drought, Coastal salt air, All day sun
Function: Wildlife value, Hummingbird plant, Foliage accent plant, Flowering accent plant, Borders, Banks, Attracts bees, Fragrant foliage, Attracts butterflies

Maintenance

Pinch or prune back young plants regularly in the first year to encourage long-term development of a strong bushy structure. Don't worry about sacrificing flowers the first year, you will be repaid with more flowers and a longer lived better looking plant for many years in the future. Young plants allowed to develop too many long flower stocks without this pinching back in the first couple years commonly break apart under the weight of their own flowers (S). After spring / early summer flowering, can be headed back by removing as much of the new-ish growth as desired (1). Doing so immediately after the first bloom encourages subsequent blooms, but sacrifices the development of seeds for wildlife to eat (S). Remove dead seed heads in the Fall (October), and prune as necessary (1). Consider leaving some of the pruned dry seed heads in the garden for food, nesting material, and habitat for birds and other critters you want around (S). Cut back by 1/3 to 1/2 or more of the leafy part of the branches in Fall to keep compact form, just make sure to leave at least two leafy nodes per branch as plants might not push new growth if cut below leafy nodes into old wood (3). Older plants grow less each year, so may only need a light cut back and dead-heading if set-up to have a nice form when young (3).

References