A soft, mounding salvia with long, velvety purple spikes tipped in white. It brings a big show of color in late summer and fall, when much of the garden is tired, and it draws hummingbirds and butterflies.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub schedule in our Landscape Care guide. It needs well-drained soil; soggy ground leads to root rot and stem dieback. More water makes a bigger, faster-growing plant, so water is also a way to control its size.
Pruning
Cut it back hard in late winter or early spring, once the danger of frost has passed. A light trim in early summer keeps it compact and less likely to flop. Avoid heavy pruning in late summer, which removes the buds for the fall bloom.
Heat and sun
It does best with morning sun and some afternoon shade. In full western sun it can scorch; in deep shade it grows leggy and blooms less.
How our designers use it
Fall color
Its purple spikes peak when summer bloomers fade, carrying color into the cooler months.
Hummingbird gardens
It is a reliable nectar plant near patios and windows where the birds can be watched.
Soft texture
Its fine, gray-green foliage softens the bold shapes of agaves, yuccas and grasses.
Good to know
Around the pool
No thorns, and its soft leaves are pleasant near seating. The flowers attract hummingbirds and some bees, and spent spikes drop, so keep it a few feet back from the water.
