Description of Species

• Many of the sages have light gray-green leaves with flower spikes sporting small purple blossoms. Culinary, or garden, sage is a perennial shrub with woody stems, growing to 2 feet tall. Other species, such as Mexican bush sage, grow larger and have many showy purple flower spikes.
  
  

Time of Year for Flowers

• Late summer or fall is the time of year most of the varieties of sage produce their blossoms. Colorado State University's website reports that the wild fringed sage blooms in late summer, and Clemson University's website reports that Mexican bush sage blooms in fall.
  
  

Bees and the Sage Bushes

• One of the sages is called "Bee's Bliss," which resembles Salvia gracias. White sage, used for smudging, is a California native that bumblebees pollinate. Las Pilitas Nursery, located in San Diego County, reports on its website that bees are attracted to all of the 17 or 18 species of native sages.