Cleveland sage
Salvia clevelandii
Intensely fragrant leaves for cooking and blue whorls for hummingbirds.
Hardiness: zones 8 to 10
Light: full sun
Size: about 4 ft tall, 5 ft wide
Harvest: year-round
From: S. California
Drought-hardy once established
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food, pollinators.
Native to: California. Hardy in zones 8 to 10.
The story
Cleveland sage grows in the chaparral of San Diego County and northern Baja, where the Kumeyaay used it as a seasoning, tea and medicine and gathered the seeds; its fragrance on a warm evening is the smell of the Southern California hills.
Planting
Full sun, dry, rocky, drained soil, and no summer water once established; it is a California native and dies in wet clay. Plant in autumn.
Growing
Water through the first dry season only. Prune lightly after bloom; never into old wood. No feeding.
Harvest and use
Pick leaves any time for seasoning and tea, strong and resinous; harvest the seed heads in late summer. Flowers draw hummingbirds and bees.
What to watch for
Summer water and humidity; otherwise none.
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More native and wild plants
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home