Favorite Fall Plant: Autumn Sage

Living in the Desert Southwest, I am always grateful when September comes around and the summer heat begins to abate.  It is at this time that I begin to watch for my favorite fall blooms to appear.

One of my favorite plants fall-blooming plants is Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii).  

RDA GID

First, they produce tubular-shaped flowers that appear in fall and last through winter and on into spring in my zone 9 garden.  In cooler climates, they bloom through the summer months and will cease blooming in winter.

Autumn Sage is hardy to 0 degrees F, and can be found in many southern gardens stretching from California through North Carolina and the states farther South.  In hot, desert climates, they prefer filtered shade, which is why I like to plant them around light shade trees, like the Palo Verde, above.

Their colorful flowers are irresistible to both butterflies and hummingbirds.  I always include Autumn Sage whenever I design butterfly and/or hummingbird gardens.

Autumn Sage is hardy to 0 degrees F, and can be found growing in Southwest gardens all the way through the Southern states.

This compact shrub is deer and rabbit resistant and looks great when planted along pathways or even in containers.  Autumn Sage and its hybrids are available in other colors such as white, pink, purple and peach.

JeffreySchmiegShutterstock

I saw this lovely planting in South Carolina with the Autumn Sage forming a backdrop for flowering pansies.  Red-flowering plants look great when paired with yellow flowers, which provide a powerful color contrast.

They aren’t fussy plants, but do require well-drained soil.  Prune them back to 1 ft. in after the last frost date in your area and apply slow-release fertilizer at the same time.

Do you have any favorite fall blooms that you are eagerly anticipating?  I can’t wait to see the beautiful blossoms of Autumn Sage begin to appear in the garden!

How about you?  What is your favorite fall flowering plant?