Common Name: Californian Black Sage

General Information

Salvia mellifera is an evergreen perennial plant with stems that become more or less woody, especially near the base, and persist. The plant has an open, spreading habit and can grow up to 2 metres tall[, ].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens, where it can be used to form a ground cover[].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

South-western N. America - western California, northwest Mexico (Baja California).

Habitat

Found in coastal sage scrub and chaparral plant communities, growing on dry slopes; at elevations up to 2,000 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	2.00 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Salvia mellifera is not very cold-hardy, being able to tolerate short periods with temperatures down to between -5 and -8°c so long as the soil is well-drained[].
Requires a very well-drained light sandy soil in a sunny position[]. Prefers a rich soil[]. Soils rich in nitrogen encourage excessive leaf growth at the expense of flowering[]. Established plants are very drought tolerant[]. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet[]. The plant is very susceptible to atmospheric pollution, especially from sulphur dioxide[].
This species hybridizes freely with several other Salvia species, including Salvia apiana, Salvia columbariae and Salvia leucophylla[].
The leaves are aromatic[].
Plants are believed to live for around 20 - 30 years in the wild[].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[, ].

Edible Uses

The aromatic leaves and young stems can be brewed into a tea[, ].

The leaves and stems can be used as a food flavouring[, ]. A mint-flavoured condiment[].

The seeds can be dried then ground into a powder and used as a gruel[, ].

Medicinal

The green leaves are cardiac and carminative[]. An infusion has been used in the treatment of heart complaints[]. They can be chewed in the treatment of gas pains[]. A poultice of the heated leaves can be applied to the ear in the treatment of ear pains, or to the neck in the treatment of sore throats[].
A decoction of the plant has been used in the treatment of chronic bronchial coughs[]. The decoction has also been used as a bath in the treatment of paralysis[].

Agroforestry Uses:

The plant, especially the cultivar 'Terra Seca' (syn 'Prostrata') maes a good ground cover in semi-arid areas[].
This species is a suitable revegetation species because of its drought-resistance, spreading habit, and rapid growth rate. It is recommended for use in greenbelts and parkways, as well as in areas where restoration of coastal sage scrub habitat is desired. Seedling establishment is good when fresh seed is hand-broadcast or hydroseeded[].
The plant is also recommended for erosion control plantings within coastal sage scrub communities in its native range. Suitable sites include sunny slopes with either shallow or deep soils at elevations below 1,830 metres[].
The plant is quite susceptible to air pollution damage from sulphur dioxide, and possibly also ozone. Consequently, it is an effective biological monitor of air pollution for areas of southern California []
The plant is a very good source of nectar and pollen for bees[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow early to mid spring in a greenhouse[]. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. In areas where the plant is towards the limits of its hardiness, it is best to grow the plants on in a greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in late spring of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood succeed at almost any time in the growing season[].