Common Name: sage
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Lamiaceae
Native Range: Southern United States, northern Mexico
Zone: 7 to 10
Height: 0.50 to 2.00 feet
Spread: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Bloom Time: June to September
Bloom Description: Blue
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Dry
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Ground Cover, Naturalize
Flower: Showy
Leaf: Colorful, Fragrant
Attracts: Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Tolerate: Drought, Dry Soil, Shallow-Rocky Soil
Culture
Best grown in dry, very well-draining soils in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of heat, drought, and dry, rocky soils. Hardy in Zones 7-10. Above-ground growth may die back to the ground in the colder end of its hardiness range, but will regrow from the roots. Propagate with softwood tip cuttings in spring or by division of clumps.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Salvia chamaedryoides, commonly called germander sage, is an evergreen to semi-evergreen subshrub native to high desert regions of north-central Mexico at elevations between 7,000-9,000'. Mature plants will reach 0.75-2' tall with a 2-3' spread and a low, well-branched, spreading to mounding growth habit. The stems and leaves are grey-green in color and fragrant. The foliage is ovate to elliptic in shape and will reach around 0.5-0.75" long and 0.25-0.5" wide. Terminal spikes of blue flowers appear from summer into early fall and will reach up to 4" tall. The bright blue to blue-violet blooms are tubular in shape and will reach 0.5" long. The blooms are attractive to hummingbirds, butterflies, and other insect pollinators.
The genus name Salvia comes from the Latin word salveo meaning "to save or heal", in reference to the purported medically curative properties attributed to some plants in the genus.
The specific epithet chamaedryoides means "resembling Chamaedrys", a reference to the genus to which wall germander (Teucrium chamaedrys) used to belong. This species shares the low-growing and somewhat spreading habit of wall germander.
The common name germander sage refers to the specific epithet.
Problems
No major pest or disease problems. Wet, soggy soils will cause root or crown rot.
Uses
Rock gardens, xeriscaping, mixed border fronts, dry slopes, pollinator gardens. Suitable for large containers. Can be grouped or massed to create a ground cover.