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Autumn Sage Wikimedia Commons
Lamiaceae

Autumn Sage

Salvia greggii

Endurance, desert grace, hummingbird heart.

Family
Lamiaceae
Genus
Salvia
Native to
Texas, Northern Mexico
Bloom season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Type
Subshrub
Height
60–90 cm (2–3 ft)
Sunlight
Full sun
Soil
Sandy, well-drained, alkaline
Water
Low
Hardiness
7–10
Lifespan
Long-lived perennial

Did you know

  • Autumn sage is misleadingly named—it actually blooms from April through November in mild climates, not just in fall, with peak displays in spring and autumn.
  • It is one of the toughest perennials for hot, dry climates—native to Texas Hill Country and the Chihuahuan Desert, it thrives where most flowers wilt within weeks.
  • Autumn sage is a top hummingbird magnet—a single plant attracts dozens of visits per hour during peak bloom, and it's the favorite garden plant of the black-chinned hummingbird.
  • Modern hybrids and selections (over 40 named cultivars) have produced flower colors not found in the wild, including coral, salmon, peach, and even bicolor 'Hot Lips.'
  • Native to the same hot dry country as the famous Texan agave and yucca, autumn sage was named after Josiah Gregg, the 19th-century Santa Fe trader and naturalist who first collected it.

Color meanings

0

endurance

1

desert grace

2

hummingbird heart

Uses

  • Hummingbird gardens
  • Drought-tolerant landscaping
  • Borders
  • Mass plantings