Description

The black sage is widespread in coastal sage scrub and mountains from the Bay Area into Baja California. It grows in a rounded form to as high as eight feet, though more typically from four to six feet. The leaves are dark green with a pleasant aroma, and provide an attractive backdrop for gray-leaved species. The abundant flowers vary from white to light blue and attract a variety of pollinators, notably the gray hairstreak butterfly. If allowed to naturalize, the spring leaves of the black sage will fade and be replaced with much smaller leaves. Fresh growth will appear the following winter. Black sage will tolerate occasional water in soil of at least medium drainage.