Salvia leucophylla

Common Names: Purple sage

Family: Lamiaceae

Origin: California

Type: Evergreen shrub

Size: 3-5 ft. high and wide.

Flowers: Fragrant rose-lavender flowers in tight whorls, late spring to early summer; fragrant graceful gray foliage. 

Uses: Slope stabilizer, color accent.

Wildlife: Nectar and pollen for birds, butterflies, and bees. Deer resistant. Rabbit resistant. 

Soil: Well-drained; tolerates clay.

Water: Low.

Sun: Full sun to some shade.

Pruning: Consider pruning back stems every 1 to 2 years in spring to promote a tidy, well-branched plant specimen. 

Pests & Diseases: Some sages have problems with snails, slugs, whiteflies, and aphids. 

Notes: "Leucophylla" means "white-leaved." Another good shrubby sage is the S. africana-lutea. Hardy to 20° F.