DESERT SAGE

Salvia dorrii

The sage genus includes several very showy flowering shrubs. Many of these are native to the Southwest deserts, but the plant we call desert sage is native throughout the Great Basin and is fully cold-hardy. It features pale to deep sky blue flowers borne in spikes on the branch tips. The purple bracts (modified leaves) at the bases of the flowers create a two-tone effect that is stunning against the sea-green foliage. Desert sage is a tough little shrub that thrives on a minimum of resources. Once established, it will never need to be watered. In fact, too much water and too-rich soil are its enemies. It does best in a coarse, well-drained soil, preferably on a slope, in full sun. The plant has a pungent, minty odor that many find pleasing. It is host to an astonishing array of native insect pollinators that are fascinating to watch.