Silver sage

Questions about silver sage

Does silver sage need sun or shade?

Silver 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 silver sage grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 8. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Above zone 8 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

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

How far apart should silver 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 12 in (30 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many silver 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, with clear ground around it: a feature plant is seen as an object, and a group of them is a thicket.

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

Is silver 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 silver sage?

Silver sage comes from Mediterranean, Southern Europe, Northern Africa. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Prairie alumroot: an edging, not a specimen, 6 in narrower.
• Eastern prickly pear: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers mid June to early July, keeps its leaves in winter.
• Beach wormwood 'Silver Brocade': a carpet, not a specimen, 4 in shorter.

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

Do deer eat silver sage?

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

What does silver sage look like in winter?

Silver sage holds some of its leaves into winter, more in a mild year or a sheltered spot, and they look tired by March. Cut the old ones off as new growth starts.