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Sage
Salvia officinalis
Sage blooms from May through June.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Sage
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 4–8. Expect it to reach about 20 in tall and 24 in wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
When to plant Sage
Plant Sage in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. Once settled, it blooms from May to June.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar; if you garden near zone 6, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 6 in April. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Sage get?
20 intall5 ft 7 inan adult24 inwideSee Sage in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Sage
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Sage about 24 in apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Sage to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Sage's height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 3 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical Gardenheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionPlant Toolboxheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- University of Florida IFASUF/IFAS Extension Gardening Solutionsheight
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Good to know about Sage
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
Safety
Cooking with the leaves is safe. The caution is separate and applies to concentrated sage essential oil and high-dose medicinal preparations, which are rich in neurotoxic thujone. per Regulatory Toxicology
Worth knowing
The same wet, heavy soil that rots the roots is what kills sage over winter. Sharp drainage, not fertility, is the one thing that fixes both. per NC State
Warm-zone hardiness varies
Most sources call sage hardy through zone 8, but Maryland Extension pushes the warm limit to 10b. In the hot, humid Deep South it can be short-lived. per NC State and University of Maryland
Gets woody; replace it
Sage turns woody and unproductive after about 3 to 5 years. Prune lightly each spring but never into bare old wood, which rarely resprouts. Replace or re-layer periodically. per Wisconsin
Colored cultivars are less hardy
The gray-green species is the toughest. Golden, purple and tricolor sages are reliable only to about zone 5 to 6; in cold gardens protect them or grow as annuals. per University of Maryland
Non-toxic and pet-safe
The ASPCA lists sage as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses, and the leaves and flowers are edible; the musky flowers are best eaten only in small amounts. per ASPCA and NC State
Deer and rabbit resistant
Deer and rabbits leave sage alone. The strongly aromatic, camphor-rich, slightly fuzzy foliage deters browsing, though nothing is deer-proof under severe pressure. per NC State
What pairs well with Sage
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Globe Thistle
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Blazing Star
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Black-Eyed Susan
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Lavender
Shares full sun and low water; overlaps, then carries the display into late summer; both are strong pollinator plants; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Switchgrass
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late summer, extending the bed's season; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Sunflower
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; its seed heads stand through winter, for structure and the birds.
Passionflower
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in midsummer as this one finishes; both are strong pollinator plants, and they feed in different months; climbs to 13 ft behind it, height without the footprint.
Grape Hyacinth
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; both offer pollinator forage, in different months; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border.
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Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.