How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Salvia Chamaedryoides

Salvia chamaedryoides, more commonly known as germander sage, Mexican blue sage, or blue oak sage, is a versatile ornamental shrub with the most vibrant, true blue flowers that will catch the eye of any gardener.

It is native to the Chihuahuan Desert, 7000ft high above sea level in the Sierra Madre mountain range in Mexico. That’s one pretty extreme environment, so how can this perennial salvia grow in our gardens? Don’t be put off by its arid origins!  

Salvia chamaedryoides has adapted to a full range of climate zones, making its home across Europe and North America, and especially California. It’s easy to grow and will attract a multitude of butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds to your garden. What’s not to like?

Plant Overview

Plant Perennial Family Lamiaceae Genus Salvia Species Salvia chamaedryoides	Native Area Mexico Exposure Full sun to partial shade Height 12-18″ Watering Requirements Low	Pests & Diseases Aphids, spider mites, slugs, snails, powdery mildew Maintenance Low Soil Type Well-draining, chalky, sandy, loam Hardiness Zone 8-10

What is Salvia Chamaedryoides?

The botanical name for germander Sage is Salvia chamaedryoides. It’s a bit of a tongue twister, so to help, we’ve broken it down for you: SAL-vee-uh, kam-ay-dry-OY-deez. Chamae comes from the Greek word chamai, meaning ‘dwarfness’ or ‘on the ground’, reflecting the low growth habit of this shrub.

Native Area

Originating in Mexico, it was introduced to Europe in the 1800’s, finding its way back across the Atlantic to North America in the 1980’s. It is popular in drought-resistant xeriscape gardens in California. 

Characteristics

Salvia is the largest genus in the mint family, Lamiaceae, with almost 1000 different species of herbaceous annuals and perennials, woody herbs, ornamental shrubs, and sub-shrubs. Salvia chamaedryoides is typical of the genus. It is an evergreen, ornamental woody shrub or ground cover.

Both leaves and stems have a silvery downy appearance and fuzzy texture. Small, showy blue flowers with wide lips appear on terminal spikes, flowering from early summer until mid-fall in hotter climates and from late summer to early fall in more temperate zones. It grows in compact low mounds 12 to 18 inches tall and three to four feet wide, branching outwards from a spreading rootstock.

The vivid blue flowers provide radiance to an otherwise arid landscape. The flower color blue is a well-known magnet to native pollinating insects, especially butterflies and hummingbirds.

Short of space? This salvia grows well in pots. Just make sure you replicate its natural conditions with well-drained soil and locate it in full sun. Large pots of at least three gallons are best suited to maximize the benefits of its naturally spreading habit. Terracotta pots, especially, complement the striking colors of the foliage and flowers.

Salvia chamaedryoides makes a great ground cover, and although it spreads, its growth is not invasive. As with pots, location and soil are key. Grow in well-drained soil in full sun, and you will enjoy an abundance of flowering inflorescences throughout the summer.

Here’s a great gardening tip if your home is by the coast or you live in a hot, arid area like California. Search for those with silvery grey/green foliage. These plants are often drought- and salt-tolerant, small in size, and work well as low-growing ground cover, making them perfect for hot California or windy UK coastal gardening.

Planting

Salvia chamaedryoides needs a sunny spot with well-drained soil. Begin by loosening the soil and mixing in some compost or organics if drainage and nutrition need improvement. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and the same depth. Gently remove the plant from its container, tease out any circling roots, and place it in the hole so that the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil surface.

Backfill with soil, gently firm it around the base, and water it thoroughly to help it settle in. Water regularly during the first few weeks to encourage strong root development. Mulching around the base can help retain moisture and suppress weeds, but avoid piling mulch against the stem.

How to Grow

When growing Salvia chamaedryoides, think about where it comes from: a high-altitude desert in its native Mexico. Once you get the conditions right, aftercare is pretty straightforward: just add a little water and a haircut when needed and enjoy.

Light

This sage should receive full sun for long hours but will tolerate some light shade. In sunny conditions, it produces an abundance of its signature deep blue flowers and maintains its compact, bushy shape. While it can tolerate some light shade, too much shade may result in leggy growth and reduced flowering.

Ensuring plenty of sunlight not only supports vigorous blooming but also helps keep the foliage dense and healthy.

Water

In its natural habitat, Salvia chamaedryoides survives exposure to extreme temperatures and long summer droughts. We can replicate these conditions in our gardens by maintaining a strict low-water regime of approximately one inch a month. Do not water in fall/winter if they are irrigated naturally through seasonal rainfall. 

Of course, if it is looking stressed by prolonged periods of drought, then supplementary water is recommended. Water early in the morning or evening at the base using a watering can if in a pot, or with a soaker hose if watering multiples with the same environmental requirements.  Like most salvias, this one does not like its feet sitting in cold, wet ground. This can cause multiple problems, resulting in wilt and the plant dying.

Soil

Well-drained soil is a must for growing germander sage. Soil should be moderately fertile, free-draining chalky, sandy, or loam with pH ranging from 6.1 (mildly acid) to 7.8 (mildly alkaline). When grown in pots, incorporate lots of horticultural grit or perlite to the compost to help with drainage. 

Temperature

Salvia chamaedryoides is hardy down to USDA hardiness zones 8 and maybe 5 to 15ºF if conditions are favorable. In warmer USDA hardiness zones like zone 9 or 10, it can be semi-evergreen, losing some leaves over winter. It has been known to die right back to ground level after severe frosts and regrow from roots in spring, but this is not guaranteed.

Fertilizer

Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer once a month in spring/summer and none at all over winter. A mulch of compost can be applied in late fall to protect roots from frost. This type of mulch will also help suppress weeds and keep in moisture in the hotter months of the year.

Maintenance

Sages can become root-bound when growing in a pot, with its spreading growth spilling over the edges. When this happens, it’s time to either increase the pot size or divide it into smaller sections. Repotting is best carried out in the fall after flowering. 

This sage is grown as an ornamental and, therefore, does not benefit from regular harvesting like culinary herb garden sages. To maintain flowers over a longer period, deadhead any spent blooms regularly and trim back leggy flowering stems. In frost-free areas, prune the entire sage back by almost half after the last flowers in fall. This will promote fuller growth the following spring and keep it looking tidy over winter.

In cooler regions where they may be semi-evergreen or deciduous, lightly prune in early fall well before the first frost. Repeat in spring when new shoots appear from the base and the risk of frost has passed. A common view is that the short stems left behind will provide some frost protection. 

If you feel the plant is spreading too much, then the fall is the perfect time for division.

Propagation

Mature garden salvias, around three to four years old, are perfect for division. Divide in the fall after flowering. Carefully dig around the roots and lever them out of the ground without damaging the root ball. Gently shake off some of the soil to see where and how many divisions can be made. Divide, ensuring each section has sufficient roots. Plant each section into pots or its new home in the garden.

You can also take softwood cuttings in spring/early summer or semi-ripe cuttings in late summer early fall. Use clean pruners to cut stems five to eight inches in length and remove the lower two to three inches of leaves. Prepare small pots with a 50:50 mix of compost and perlite or horticultural grit to aid drainage. Insert the cuttings evenly spaced around the edge of the pots, up to the leaves, and firm them in to ensure good contact with the compost.

Stems can be dipped in rooting hormone if desired, but this is not essential. Water the cuttings and keep them moist until roots have established. Place them in dappled shade. Semi-ripe cuttings will benefit from some bottom heat to stimulate root development. When ready, separate the cuttings and grow one rooted cutting per pot to be planted into the garden when they have established a little more.

From seeds, sow outside directly into the soil after the last frost, or sow indoors in pots in early spring to be planted out later. Keep compost moist until seedlings have established a good root system, and place somewhere with plenty of sun. Seeds can be collected from the dried flower heads that remain on the stems. Harvest and store them in a cool, dry environment until spring. Plants may also self-seed in the right conditions.  

Common Problems

‘Right plant, right place’, is the best way to describe how to troubleshoot this type.  If something goes wrong, it’s almost guaranteed it is in the wrong location in the garden. Even the list of pests and diseases is short.  

Growing Problems

Common growing problems are usually due to overwatering, too much shade, or not enough drainage. All are easily resolved by simply moving them into full sun in well-drained soil or pots and only watering when it needs it.

Pests

Aphids (Aphidoidea) attack the young new growth, feeding on the phloem sap and, in effect, dehydrating it. The resulting damage is distorted leaves and stems. Aphids also carry a multitude of other plant diseases. Use beneficial insects such as ladybug larvae to treat biologically. Or, spray with a good organic insecticidal soap or neem oil.  

With spider mites (Tetranychidae), the adults are reddish-brown, live in large colonies on the underside of leaves, and thrive in hot, dry environments. Evidence of spider mites can be seen as a fine webbing between stems, and they rapidly show signs of decline. Similar to aphids, they feed on juices, causing leaves to turn yellow and drop off. Remove and destroy the worst affected stems and entire sages if necessary, to prevent the spread to unaffected areas of the garden.  

In cooler climates, slugs and snails will feed on young shoots, consuming them entirely. They thrive in damp locations, so keep areas around them free of debris that may provide shelter during the day. Nematodes can be applied when soil temperatures and conditions are right.  Alternatively, use a flashlight and search for and remove slugs and snails at night. A good organic snail and slug bait can also be useful!

Diseases

Powdery mildew in the garden affects sages, especially during hot, humid weather. This fungal disease spreads by spores, covering leaves with a white growth resembling a dusting of flour that inhibits optimum photosynthesis. Leaves turn yellow, dry up, and die. Good garden hygiene is essential to avoid this disease. Remove infected foliage and relocate salvias to full sun.

Frequently Asked Questions