October's Flower of the Month

Forsythia Sage (Salvia madrensis)

One plant that makes the fall garden particularly beautiful is forsythia sage (Salvia madrensis). All spring and summer the stems shoot skyward. Finally, when it has grown to about eight feet tall, many 12-inch spiky clusters of bright yellow flowers bloom on the ends of each branch. Individual flowers are a little over an inch long, and they bloom in succession from the bottom to the top of the spike. 

The blossoms are held in sticky calyces (outer whorls of protective leaves) that many bees tend to avoid. The stickiness seems to pose no threat to butterflies and hummingbirds that zoom in to dine on the plentiful nectar. Cut blossoms are long-lasting in a bouquet, but cleaning all the little bits of debris from the sticky calyces takes a bit of doing. 

Forsythia sage is native to Mexico. Planted in my garden about seven years ago, it has grown and multiplied. Now its yellow spikes of flowers usher in the fall and bloom until the frost nips it back to the ground. In spring it re-emerges and spends the whole spring and summer getting ready for another show. 

In my garden, it grows up through a sturdy wire cage. Some means of support is necessary because of its eight-foot stature. Even though the one-inch or more diameter square stems look strong, they are very brittle. A forceful wind will send them hurtling to the ground, and all the long wait for the glorious blooms will be for naught. 

Forsythia sage spreads by underground rhizomes and makes broad thickets. Unusual square stems and deeply textured, elongated heart-shaped leaves make plants ornamental even out of flower. The largest leaves are eight or more inches long and four or more inches wide. Held almost horizontally on five inch stems, they are very prominent. It’s tempting to reach out and touch the leaves each time I walk by. Velvety texture on the top surface and very prominent veins on the bottom side give it an interesting texture. Like most of the salvias, the leaves have a distinctive odor.  

Light to filtered shade and organically rich, well-drained soil provide optimal conditions for this plant. Though it is drought tolerant, a bit of extra water may be needed during dry spells. High humidity does not bother it, and little or no fertilizer is required if it is well mulched with pine needles or other organic material. Forsythia sage is hardy throughout USDA Zone 8 and roots easily from cuttings. 

Place this sage carefully in the garden. Because of its height and bold character, it should be placed toward the back of the border. Remember that it will not reach its potential size until late summer and fall. It requires a great deal of space and could potentially overwhelm a small garden.