The Mexican Blue Sage for hummingbird gardens

Another hummingbird magnet is the Red Yucca. While not truly a yucca, the Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parvifolia) is a low water use succulent. The dark green grass-like leaves provide a fine texture element to your landscaping, and the red to orange flowers will have hummers visiting in the spring. There is a yellow flowering variety as well, called simply the Yellow Yucca. Red Salvia, Salvia greggii, is a great perennial for your hummingbird garden, providing color nearly 9 months out of the year. Although the most common version has red flowers, there are other colors available including pink, salmon pink and white. Plant with the Mexican Blue Sage for a variety of flower colors. View the list »
Nothing beats the penstemon species for hummingbird gardens. The native to the Tucson and Green Valley area is Parry’s Penstemon, but there are many more species to choose from in a variety of sizes and colors. Not all penstemons bloom at the same time, so include species that will provide flowers with different timing.

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The Mexican Blue Sage, Salvia chamaedryoides, is a native to eastern Mexico at high elevations. For the Tucson and Green Valley areas, this perennial will need part shade.

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Hardy down to 15 degrees, the Mexican Blue Sage has fragrant, silvery-gray leaves and bright blue flowers in the early spring. It will also bloom periodically in the summer, and again in the fall, but the main show is early spring.

The Mexican Blue Sage needs well-drained soil, so do not plant in heavy clay or where caliche clay is a problem. An ideal location is under the canopy of our native mesquite, or other trees providing filtered shade.

Hummingbirds love the Mexican Blue Sage, as well as other plants in the salvia family. Red Salvia and Cleveland Sage are both good choices for hummingbird gardens; but don’t forget the penstemon species as hummers love them too.

Reference: Mountain States Wholesale Nursery and Gregg Starr Nursery Plant Info Sheet, 1999.

View the list
  • Nothing beats the penstemon species for hummingbird gardens. The native to the Tucson and Green Valley area is Parry’s Penstemon, but there are many more species to choose from in a variety of sizes and colors. Not all penstemons bloom at the same time, so include species that will provide flowers with different timing.
  • Red Salvia, Salvia greggii, is a great perennial for your hummingbird garden, providing color nearly 9 months out of the year. Although the most common version has red flowers, there are other colors available including pink, salmon pink and white. Plant with the Mexican Blue Sage for a variety of flower colors. 
  • Another hummingbird magnet is the Red Yucca. While not truly a yucca, the Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parvifolia) is a low water use succulent. The dark green grass-like leaves provide a fine texture element to your landscaping, and the red to orange flowers will have hummers visiting in the spring. There is a yellow flowering variety as well, called simply the Yellow Yucca. 
View the list

, Tucson Gardening Examiner

This author has lived in Arizona since 1972 and has been gardening for more than 28 years. A landscape architect and certified arborist, Linda teaches classes for everyone in desert plant care for Green Valley Recreation, and provides services in landscape design. Contact her at Linda...

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