Salvia apiana
White Sage

First things first: Yes, this is the sage that many folks in California use to make dry bundles or ‘smudge sticks’ out of. Good stuff. The plant is also beautiful and quite a focal point in drought-tolerant landscapes.

White sage usually grows 2 – 4 feet high and wide when not in flower. The plant has a very natural open look to it. The pungent grayish-white foliage adds to this allure.

Usually beginning in late Spring, large wands covered with white to light-pink flowers rise from the plant, easily adding another 2 – 4 feet (The tallest I’ve ever seen was over six feet tall). This makes for a unique, dramatic and whatever-other-adjective-you-want-to-add-in-there display that is as California as Venice Beach and delayed state budgets.

Once the flowers begin to dry, the entire plant goes into a semi-dormancy phase, shedding many of its larger leaves. Gardeners may wish to prune the spent flowers at this time, and pruning the entire plant in the winter will lead to fuller, more garden-friendly specimens.

That’s basically it. Step 1: Find a hot, dry area of your garden where a silvery plant will shine. Step 2: Water white sage very little after established and make your own smudge sticks. Step 3: Prune as recommended and don’t forget to check out your plants on a moon-lit night, very pretty. Good for slopes.