Clary sage

Questions about clary sage

Does clary sage need sun or shade?

Clary sage grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants dry, sharply drained soil, on the lean side, with no feeding, and little watering once settled. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does clary sage grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 9. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does clary sage flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late June to early August. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should clary sage be planted?

20 in (50 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 24 in (60 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 3½ ft (110 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many clary sage plants do I need?

At 20 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 4 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 7 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 14 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as one at a time, repeated along the bed at intervals; a slender one reads better as a clump of three.

In the bed above, the planner used three in one group.

Is clary sage poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like clary sage?

Clary sage comes from Mediterranean region of southern Europe to Central Asia. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Rattlesnake master: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers mid July to late August, white, not lavender.
• Lupine: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers late May to early July, blue, purple or pink, not lavender.
• Prairie blazing star: the same job in a bed; 4 in narrower, flowers mid July to late August.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat clary sage?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

Will clary sage spread?

It seeds itself about; the risk of it taking over is moderate. Dies after flowering and self-seeds freely. Listed as a noxious weed in Washington state. Thin the seedlings in spring.

What flowers after clary sage?

Clary sage is over by early August. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Tiger lily: from late July to late August, 4 ft tall.
• Lilyturf: from early August to mid September, 16 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Dwarf fountain grass 'Hameln': from late July to mid September, 2½ ft tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does clary sage look like in winter?

Clary sage dies down to the ground and there is nothing to see until spring. The old stems can be cut in autumn, or left until spring as shelter for overwintering insects.

Is clary sage good for bees and butterflies?

Clary sage is visited by pollinators, bees, specialist bees and butterflies.