Salvia mellifera – Black Sage

Salvia mellifera – Black Sage

Black sage is one of the most important native plants of California’s coastal sage scrub — a large, aromatic shrub with dark green, wrinkled, strongly scented leaves and rounded clusters of white to pale lavender flowers that are among the most important honey bee and native bee forage plants in Southern California. Black sage honey is a prized local specialty of Southern California beekeepers. It thrives in the hot, dry conditions of coastal sage scrub and chaparral and is a keystone habitat plant for the endangered California gnatcatcher.

Key Features:

• Most important honey bee forage plant in Southern CA — prize-quality black sage honey
• Critical habitat for endangered California gnatcatcher
• Strongly aromatic dark green wrinkled leaves — distinctive sage scrub fragrance
• Large shrub for screens, habitat, and large-scale coastal sage restoration
• Extreme drought tolerance; deer resistant; fire retardant

Growing Details:
Height: 4–6 ft | Spread: 4–6 ft
Exposure: Full sun | Water: Low
Bloom time: Spring–summer | Bloom color: White to pale lavender
USDA Hardiness Zone: 8–10