Salvia 'Allen Chickering'
Blue Bush Sage
Description
The Allen Chickering Sage is a perennial shrub that grows 5' high and wide. It has blue flowers that bloom in the spring and summer. This shrub is native to California and is drought tolerant.
Maintenance Tips
Salvia ‘Allen Chickering’ is a hybrid of the California native Cleveland Sage. It is a woody sage that can grow into a dome shape 5' tall and wide. The tall flower stalks emerge in the spring and are very attractive to hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. It performs best in a sunny location with the space to reach its full mature size. Once the flowers have faded, the spent stalks can be deadheaded to keep the shrub looking tidy and encourage additional flowers. Woody shrubs tend to become dense with lots of cross-branching, so thinning out the branching and allowing sunlight to the interior will benefit the plant and will encourage new, green growth. This shrub can take more aggressive hedging; cutting back by about a third in the winter to keep the nice dome shape.
Plant Type
Shrub, Perennial
Height Range
3-6'
Flower Color
Blue, Violet
Flower Season
Spring, Summer
Leaf Color
Grey Green
Bark Color
Grey
Fruit Color
n/a
Fruit Season
n/a
Sun
Full
Water
Low
Growth Rate
Fast
Soil Type
Sandy, Loam, Rocky
Soil Condition
Average, Well-drained
Soil pH
Neutral
Adverse Factors
Attracts Bees
Design Styles
Mediterranean, Ranch, Seascape, Spanish, Woodland
Accenting Features
Fragrance
Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer
Location Uses
Entry, Perennial Border, Patio, Walkways, With Rocks
Special Uses
Cut Flowers, Erosion Control, Mass Planting
Attracts Wildlife
Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Water between sunset and sunrise when temperatures and wind are the lowest.