California Gardens - The Year Round Gardening Site

Salvia Desperado - Desperado Sage

Salvia Desperado is a robust hybrid resulting from a cross between the White Sage, Salvia apiana and the Purple Sage, Salvia leucophylla. Salvia Desperado grows vigorously with flower stalks reach to 6 feet or more. Or depending on the exposure spreading quite wide. The large white leaves from the white sage are showy. The lavender purple flowers are larger than any native sage cultivar I know. The flowers and foliage are very fragrant. Summer irrigation is often a problem with the native sages. Salvia Desperado will prefer well drained soil, or at a minimum infrequent summer irrigation. Salvia Desperado is a great addition to the Butterfly Garden attracting the Coudless Sulfur, the California Dogface, Sara Orangetip, Umber Skipper Butterfly, and the Northern White SkipperSalvia Desperado is likely damaged in the high teens and hardy into the low to mid teens.

Salvia Desperado

High resolution photos of Salvia Desperado, the Desperado Sage are part of our garden image collection.

Other Salvia leucophylla varieties include: Salvia Allen Chickering, Salvia leucophylla Bee's Bliss, Salvia leucophylla Amethyst Bluff, Salvia leucophylla Point Sal Spreader, and the related Salvia chionopeplica