Mexican Bush Sage Guide: How to Grow Mexican Bush Sage

Mexican bush sage, known by its scientific name Salvia leucantha or the common name velvet sage, is a shrubby perennial plant that is best known for its showy displays of purple flowers with white corollas that bloom in late summer or early fall. This evergreen shrub is native to most of Central America and Mexico and is often used as ground cover in gardens and landscapes alongside companion plants like rosemary, lavender, or autumn sage. Its foliage and stems have a soft and velvety texture, and it attracts pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies.

There are a wide variety of cultivars of Mexican bush sage that you can choose to grow in your home garden. These different plant types have varying flower colors and growth habits.

1. 1. Santa Barbara Mexican bush sage (S. leucantha 'Santa Barbara'): Santa Barbara Mexican bush sage is a dwarf variety that is very drought tolerant and has a longer bloom time than some other varieties.
2. 2. Pink Mexican bush sage (S. leucantha ‘Danielle’s Dream’): Pink Mexican bush sage is a warmth-loving variety that grows pink flowers and silver bracts.
3. 3. White Mexican bush sage (S. leucantha ‘White Mischief’): White Mexican bush sage grows large white flowers with mint green stems. This variety is a popular cut flower for floral arrangements and displays.
4. 4. Midnight Mexican bush sage (S. leucantha ‘Midnight’): Midnight Mexican bush sage grows very dark purple flowers with silver stems.
5. 5. Variegated Mexican bush sage (S. leucantha ‘Variegata’): Variegated Mexican bush sage is a shorter variety that has variegated foliage with light green leaves and white edges.

Propagating Mexican bush sage is very easy and won’t take much time at all. You can buy a fully-grown plant, grow it from seeds, or propagate it from stem cuttings. Keep in mind that this plant thrives in USDA hardiness zones 8b through 11. If you have winters that are colder than this, you should consider planting your Mexican bush sage in a planter that you can move inside in the winter. Here is a guide on how to plant Mexican bush sage from cuttings.

1. 1. Obtain a cutting of your plant. Use pruning shears to cut a piece of mature Mexican bush sage that has at least four or five nodes or leaf stems. Remove any leaves from the stem except for one leaf near the top to help stimulate photosynthesis.
2. 2. Prepare a tray with a soil mixture. Mexican bush sage prefers well-draining soil with plenty of nutrients. Prepare a seedling tray or a pot with this type of soil.
3. 3. Plant your cutting. Dip the bottom inch of your cutting in rooting hormone and then plant your cutting in your soil tray or pot. Press down gently on the soil around the cutting to make sure that it sticks upright. Water your cutting immediately after planting to make sure the soil is moist.
4. 4. Transplant to your garden. Your cutting should establish itself with a root system within a few weeks to a month. At this point, you have the option to transplant your cutting in your garden or in a pot. Gently remove the plant from the pot and transplant to your garden or to a larger pot. Choose a spot that receives plenty of sunlight, and be sure to water it immediately after planting. Continue to water your plant at least once a week for the first few months to help it establish its root system.

Mexican bush sage is generally considered a very low-maintenance plant. However, following certain plant care tips can help your Mexican bush sage establish itself.

1. 1. Try to provide as much sun as possible. Mexican bush sage prefers full sun and direct sunlight to achieve a full and healthy bloom, although it can tolerate a few hours of partial shade or light shade.
2. 2. Choose a nutrient-rich soil. Mexican bush sage will prefer well-draining soil with lots of nutrients. Mix compost into your soil to add organic materials to ensure proper nutrition. Always check your soil to make sure that it’s draining properly.
3. 3. Water during the summer and dry months. Mexican bush sage is drought-tolerant and won’t require much watering once it is established. However, you want to make sure that you water your plants enough during the hottest months of summer or if your area is experiencing less rainfall than usual. You should also water regularly for a few months after planting to help it establish.
4. 4. Prune during the spring or summertext in bold. Prune your Mexican bush sage before the growing season in the early spring or early summer to remove any stems that have died or were damaged during the winter. This will help your plant remain compact and promote new growth. You should also deadhead any dead or wilting flowers.

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