WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Salvia leucantha ssp. & cvs., WUCOLS IV

How often to water Mexican bush sage in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Mexican bush sage in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 3.0 gallons a week. Mexican bush sage is a fast-growing evergreen shrub from forests of central and eastern Mexico, 3 to 4 feet tall and up to 6 feet wide. Its narrow, gray-green leaves are whitish beneath. Long, arching spikes of velvety purple calyces with small white flowers bloom much of the year on the coast, heaviest from summer into fall. It is drought tolerant, and modest water keeps its growth in check.

PerennialShrubRated for 6 of 6 zones

How often to water Mexican bush sage, month by month

Your city
Plant width
4 ft
Your soil

Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for Mexican bush sage and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Mexican bush sage stems flopping and leaves dulling while the soil is dry a few inches down mean it needs water
  • Rampant, floppy growth points to more water than it needs
  • Stems rotting at the base in wet soil point to poor drainage
  • White powder on the leaves points to powdery mildew, not thirst

How to water it

  • Water deeply but occasionally once it is established
  • Plant in full sun to light shade, with afternoon shade where summers are hot
  • Hold back on water to keep growth from getting rampant
  • Cut it back hard in late winter to renew it
  • Trim off heavy old flower spikes to keep stems upright

Through the seasons

Water new plants regularly until they root in. Once established it is drought tolerant through most of California, and too much water makes it rampant. It stays evergreen to about 25 degrees F and has proven root hardy to about 18 degrees F. Bloom is heaviest from summer into fall. Cut it back hard in late winter. WUCOLS rates Mexican bush sage low water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley, on the south coast, in South Inland and in the high desert. The low desert carries a moderate water rating.

In pots

Mexican bush sage grows big fast but can fill a large container for a season on a sunny patio. Use a well-drained mix. Water when the top couple of inches dry, until it drains through. In summer, check every few days. Keep the saucer empty after each watering. Cut spent spikes for vases. In winter, water only when the mix dries, and cut it back at the end of winter.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
1.07gal per sq ft in JulyLow water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
6.84 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.711.42.12.90.16JAN0.26FEB0.43MAR0.61APR0.83MAY0.99JUN1.07JUL0.95AUG0.72SEP0.47OCT0.22NOV0.14DEC0.711.42.12.90.16JFM0.61AMJ1.07JAS0.47OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 1.07 in Jul, 6.84 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Mexican Bush Sage: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.160.310.310.30.78
Feb0.210.260.320.350.370.93
Mar0.350.430.460.520.581.52
Apr0.470.610.560.640.761.95
May0.580.830.640.780.952.45
Jun0.640.990.690.921.142.79
Jul0.641.070.7911.222.85
Aug0.60.950.740.931.122.6
Sep0.50.720.60.740.862.08
Oct0.350.470.460.530.581.49
Nov0.190.220.330.360.370.96
Dec0.120.140.260.270.260.68
Year4.86.846.27.378.5121.08

How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.

Plants with the same water needs 16

Rated low water in the Central Valley, like Mexican bush sage. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

LavenderLavandula spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRosemaryRosmarinus officinalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyAgapanthusAgapanthus orientalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGeraniumsPelargonium x hortorum and cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyOlive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCrape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyLantanaLantana camara ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyIrisesIris germanicalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyAloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyJunipersJuniperus spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyYarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain AlyssumAlyssum montanumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes Mexican bush sage, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.

Questions people ask

How often should I water Mexican bush sage in summer?

In July, established Mexican bush sage in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days in the Central Valley, about every 27 days on the south coast and about every 22 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.

How much water does Mexican bush sage need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Mexican bush sage needs about 0.4 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 1.7 gallons a day for a plant 8 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for Mexican bush sage change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Mexican bush sage separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, low water in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, low water in the South Inland zone, low water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, moderate water in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

When should I cut back Mexican bush sage?

Cut it back hard in late winter. New stems grow fast in spring. This keeps the plant compact and tidy.

Does Mexican bush sage attract hummingbirds?

Yes, its bicolor flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Bloom lasts for months. Plant it where you can watch them.

Is Mexican bush sage deer resistant?

Yes, it is resistant to deer and rabbits. That makes it useful on wild edges. It also handles some drought.

Can I use Mexican bush sage in arrangements?

Yes, the spikes work in fresh arrangements. They also keep their color when dried. Cut them as they open.

What is 'Santa Barbara' Mexican bush sage?

'Santa Barbara' is a compact form about 30 inches tall and 4 feet wide. Its flowers and bracts are both purple. Care is the same as for the species.

More plant watering guides

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Sources