Salvia mellifera aka Black Sage

Salvia mellifera, or California black sage, is an evergreen shrub. It belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. Its native range spans western California and northern Baja California, Mexico. It grows in coastal sage scrub and chaparral. These habitats lie within a subtropical region. In gardens, it suits an open, sunny site or woodland edge.

The shrub reaches about 6.6–7 feet [2–2.1 metres] tall. Its rounded shape can look loose and uneven. Long branches arch out and may root against the ground. The bark is grey-brown. Young stems have four sides and a pale, woolly coat. Their colour ranges from green-brown to purple-brown. Paired leaves have a narrow oval or lance shape. They reach about 0.25 feet [0.076 metres] long. Their dark green upper sides have a wrinkled surface. Fine hairs give the lower sides a paler look. The leaves smell strong and grow darker during drought.

Pale purple to white flowers form rings along upright spikes. These spikes reach about 1 foot [0.3 metres] long. Virginia Tech places flowering in the middle of summer. Each flower has long stamens and a projecting pistil. Bees pollinate the blooms. Small, glossy nutlets form within husks after flowering. The pale blooms stand out against the dark leaves. Its evergreen foliage also gives the plant a lasting garden presence.

Give black sage full sun and soil that drains well. Light, sandy soil best meets its stated growing needs. It can also grow in loam. It accepts mildly acid, neutral, and mildly alkaline soil. The soil may be dry or moist. Rich soil suits it, but excess nitrogen favours leaves over flowers. Winter wet can kill plants, so drainage matters in cold weather. PFAF lists USDA zones 7–10 and cold tolerance near 14–23°F [−10 to −5°C]. Seed and partly ripened stem cuttings offer ways to raise plants.

The leaves can make tea, while leaves and stems flavour food. Dried seeds can be ground and cooked into gruel. PFAF gives its edible value a low rating. It also records past medicinal uses for several ailments. These include gas pain, sore throats, ear pain, and coughs. Those records do not establish that such treatments work. PFAF lists no known hazards and reports no weed potential.