A fragrant, low-water native sage that is marginal in High Desert cold. Here is how to give it a fair shot.
Get a Free Planting PlanCleveland sage can grow in the High Desert, but it sits at the edge of its cold range here. It needs full sun, fast-draining soil and very little summer water once established, and a winter night near 10F can freeze it back hard. Plant it in a warm, protected spot and treat it as a plant that may need replacing after a rough winter.
Top photo: Photo: John Rusk, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Shrub · Salvia clevelandii · Also called Fragrant Sage, Blue Sage, Chaparral Sage · Native to chaparral and coastal sage scrub in Southern California
| Cleveland Sage at a glance in the High Desert | |
|---|---|
| Type and size at maturity | Evergreen shrub, 3 to 4 ft tall and up to 8 ft wide (grower sheets list about 5 ft by 6 ft) [2] |
| Growth rate | Fast [3] |
| Water once established | Low (WUCOLS IV, Region 5). Calscape rates it very low. [4] |
| Sun | Full sun [1] |
| Cold hardiness | 10F, USDA zone 8 per Mountain States Wholesale Nursery; Calscape says 20F. Marginal in the High Desert. [3] |
| Heat | Handles low and middle desert heat; in very hot spots give it some relief from summer sun [3] |
| Soil | Tolerates many soils but does best in well-drained ground [2] |
| Bloom | Lavender-blue whorls on tall open spikes, May to August; flowers and leaves are fragrant [1] |
| Evergreen or deciduous | Evergreen [3] |
| Pets | Not listed by the ASPCA; check with your vet [5] |
| Wildlife | Hummingbirds (Anna’s and Costa’s), native bees and butterflies visit the flowers [2] |
| Rabbits and deer | Deer resistant [2] |
| Where it fits | Well-drained flats, banks and gentle slopes in native or rockscape plantings [2] |
Cold is the problem with this plant up here, so start there. Mountain States Wholesale Nursery rates Cleveland sage to 10F (USDA zone 8). Calscape is more cautious and lists 20F. The Victor Valley is USDA zone 8b, where the average coldest night of the year falls between 15 and 20F, and Victorville has recorded lows near 0F.
Put those numbers together and you get a plant that gets through most winters but can take real damage in a cold one. It comes from Southern California chaparral and coastal sage scrub, not the Mojave, so it never had to adapt to our coldest nights. Expect some winters with dead tips or dieback. A true cold snap in a low spot where cold air settles can take the whole plant.
Heat is less of a worry. The grower sheet says it has done well in both low and middle deserts, and only asks for some relief from summer sun in very hot locations. Our July highs average around 97F, which it handles in full sun if the soil drains well.
Wind is general practice, not something the sources rate. Spring winds from March through June can dry out and rock a new planting, so set it where a wall, fence or larger shrub breaks the worst of the west wind, and keep an eye on it during its first spring.
Drainage matters more than soil richness. Calscape says Cleveland sage tolerates many soils but performs better in well-drained ground, and it recommends planting on well-drained flats, bluffs or gentle slopes. High Desert yards are usually sandy and alkaline, which suits it, but many lots have a layer of caliche below the surface that holds water around the roots. Our High Desert soils guide covers how to check for caliche and break through it before planting.
Timing is the big lever for a marginal plant. Fall planting works in milder areas, but in the High Desert a spring planting after the last frost gives the roots a full season before the first hard freeze. Victorville’s median last freeze is around March 18, with a 1-in-10 chance of frost after April 12. See our frost dates and growing zones guide for your area.
This is a low-water plant, and too much water is one of the easier ways to lose it. WUCOLS IV rates it low for Region 5 (High and Intermediate Desert), and Calscape rates it very low. The SB County High Desert landscaping guide lists it for full sun and little water.
Calscape’s advice is to limit summer water to no more than once a month, and says no summer irrigation at all after a year or two is best in its native range. The High Desert gets only about 5.57 inches of rain a year in Victorville, so most yards here will still need some deep, occasional water in the hottest months. Water deeply and let the soil dry out between waterings.
For the first year, run drip on a regular schedule so the root ball does not dry out, then taper off. Put the plant on its own drip zone or group it with other low-water plants so it does not get the same schedule as lawn or roses. Our High Desert irrigation guide explains how to set up separate zones.
Cut back on water in fall. Soft new growth pushed out by late-season water is the growth most likely to be damaged when the first cold nights arrive.
Cleveland sage earns its spot through fragrance and flowers. The SB County guide describes gray-green foliage with a strong scent and lavender-blue flowers in tall open spires from May through August. Calscape notes that hummingbirds, native bees and butterflies all visit the blooms. Plant it where you will brush past it or sit near it.
Avoid low spots, the north side of the house, and open ground exposed to the coldest wind. If you want the look with less winter risk, plant it alongside tougher plants from our best drought-tolerant plants list so one loss does not leave a gap in the bed.
Plant after the last frost. Check for winter dieback and cut dead stems back to live wood once new growth shows.
Water deeply no more than about once a month once established (Calscape). Deadhead spent flower spikes to stretch the bloom season.
Calscape says it can be pruned in fall to reduce size. Taper off water so growth hardens before the first freeze.
Little or no water. On forecasts near 10F, general practice is to cover young plants overnight with frost cloth.
Yes. WUCOLS IV rates it low water for the High and Intermediate Desert region, and Calscape rates it very low. Once established it needs only occasional deep summer water.
Mountain States Wholesale Nursery rates it to 10F and Calscape lists 20F. High Desert winters average 15 to 20F on the coldest night and have dipped near 0F, so it is marginal here and can freeze back.
It is not listed by the ASPCA as toxic or non-toxic. Check with your vet if your dog chews on plants.
Fast. The Mountain States Wholesale Nursery sheet lists a fast growth rate, and Calscape lists moderate to fast.
Spring, after the last frost, is the safer choice for this marginal plant. Victorville’s median last freeze is around March 18, with frost possible into mid April.
We checked every number on this page against the public sources below. If a rule or date changes, the agency page is the final word.
Monarch designs and installs rockscape, drip irrigation and drought-tolerant plantings across the High Desert. We will check sun, wind and soil on your lot and tell you where a plant will do well and where it will struggle.
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