The Best Sage Plant for Attracting Hummingbirds
The rapid burr of tiny wings may startle you as a hummingbird buzzes closer to investigate your red shirt. Hummingbirds are attracted to red -- red flowers, red shirts and even your red lipstick. The sages (Salvia spp.) and their many cultivars are among the hummingbirds' favorite flowers. While reds and pinks are the predominant colors, they also come in white, yellow, blue and purple, and thrive in nearly every climate zone. Providing a continuous food source helps keep hummingbirds flitting through your garden from early spring until fall, when they migrate to warmer climates.
The bright hues of red- and pink-flowering sages are the hummingbird's favorites. Among the red and pink sages that thrive in a Mediterranean climate are hummingbird sage (Salvia spathacea), "Navajo Bright Red" (Salvia greggii "Navajo Bright Red") and scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea). Hummingbird sage thrives in light shade, blooming from March through May in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7a through 11. Blooming from April through September, "Navajo Bright Red" prefers full sun and is hardy in USDA zones 8 through 11. Scarlet sage, also known as Texas sage, overlaps the blooming times, flowering from July to October in full to part sun. It thrives in USDA zones 8 through 10.
While reds and pinks may be hummingbirds' favorite colors, not all gardeners are enthusiastic about a red-flowering garden. Desert purple sage (Salvia dorrii) blooms in late spring and is hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9. As the desert purple sage's blossoms fade, anise-scented sage (Salvia guaranitica), native of South America, provides deep blue flowers from July to October. Anise-scented sage and the native Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha) are hardy in USDA zones 8 through 10. Mexican bush sage's bloom times overlap those of the other species, beginning in May and continuing until the first frost. Also beginning in May, the alpine cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii) blooms until December or later. It thrives in USDA zones 7 through 10.
The white sage (Salvia apiana) is known as the traditional smudging sage of Native American tribes. Because of the harvesting methods of some sellers, you should use caution when purchasing seeds and plants, making sure they're from reputable sources. Thriving in USDA zones 9 through 10, white sage blooms from March through September. The white-blossoming black sage (Salvia mellifera) blooms from March through July in USDA zones 7 through 10. A smaller variety, the creeping black sage (Salvia mellifera repens), grows 1 foot tall and 6 feet wide. It is frost-tender, thriving in USDA zones 9 and 10. While these native sages are pollinated by bumblebees, hummingbirds are also attracted to the white blossoms.
While sages thrive in a variety of soils and climates, most prefer a well-draining soil in full sun to partial shade. Once established, sages are relatively drought tolerant. After the first frost, when most sages die back, avoid pruning the dead stems. Sage stems are hollow. If you prune the dead plant, the winter rains have a direct route to the crown and roots, rotting the interior of the plant before spring arrives. Once the new leaves begin to emerge, prune the old stems and leaves.
- Flowers by the Sea: Sage Words About Wildlife: Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Garden
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Salvia Spathacea Greene
- Monrovia: Navajo Bright Red Autumn Sage
- Floridata: Salvia Coccinea
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Salvia Coccinea "Forest Fire"
- Fine Gardening: Salvia Dorrii (Desert Purple Sage)
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Salvia Guaranitica
With degrees in fine and commercial art and Spanish, Ruth de Jauregui is an old-school graphic artist, book designer and published author. De Jauregui authored 50 Fabulous Tomatoes for Your Garden, available as an ebook. She enthusiastically pursues creative and community interests, including gardening, home improvement and social issues.