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Key characteristics

Family: Lamiaceae
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Width: 2 to 3 feet
Flower color: Bluish-purple flowers with rosy pink bracts
Foliage color: Silvery gray
Bloom time: Summer, from July to September
Light: Full sun
Water: Drought-tolerant
Maintenance: Low; may require light pruning after flowering
Growing zone: USDA zones 5 through 9
Wildlife: Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds

Shrubs

Salvia pachyphylla

Rose Sage

Salvia pachyphylla, commonly known as rose sage or mountain desert sage, is a perennial shrub renowned for its silvery, aromatic foliage and vibrant flower spikes. Blooming from mid-summer through early autumn, it produces dense clusters of violet-blue flowers, often surrounded by showy, rose-colored bracts. These blossoms are a favorite of pollinators, particularly bees and hummingbirds, adding lively activity to the garden.

Native to the arid mountain regions of California and Nevada, Salvia pachyphylla thrives in harsh conditions, making it an excellent choice for xeriscaping or low-maintenance landscapes.

Light

Full sun

Water

Drought-tolerant

Bloom time

Summer, from July to September

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Waterwise Gardens
Native Gardens
Hummingbird Gardens

Companion plants

Sneezeweed · Barberry · Daisy bush · Blue-eyed grass · Bellflower · Glossy abelia

Design tip

Use the silvery foliage of rose sage as a cooling counterpoint to its intense violet-blue flowers and rosy bracts. Repeating a few plants through a sunny, waterwise planting carries that distinctive color combination across the garden without requiring a large mass.