There’s a distinct smell to native Southern California flora, and if you can get far enough out into the native landscape, you’ll discover a fragrance that exudes warmth and dryness. It’s a scent I look everywhere for and one I associate closely with San Diego and with California native Cleveland sage (Salvia clevelandii). While all salvias add to a garden's perfume, Cleveland sage creates a memory and a moment by itself, simply through its smell. Kathy Ormiston, of the University of California Cooperative Extension's Master Gardener program of Santa Clara County, compares it to chaparral in the morning.

With reliable spring blooms and a maintenance regimen that basically requires it be forgotten, Cleveland sage brings us back to the landscape that Californians are proud to call home. Edger Landscape Design Botanical name: Salvia clevelandii
Common names: Cleveland sage, California blue sage
Origin: Native to Southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico
USDA zones: 8 to 11 (find your zone)
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide
Benefits and tolerances: Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies and bees; deer resistant; fragrant flowers and foliage; drought tolerant
Seasonal interest: Blooms spring through summer
When to plant: Spring or fall John J. Kehoe Photography Distinguishing traits. Salvias are known for their blooms, but there’s something really special about those produced by Cleveland sage. Evenly-spaced lavender whorls span 1 1/2- to 2-foot-long stems in spring through summer. Complementing the flowers year-round are muted gray-green leaves.

Cleveland sage’s size and scent most distinguish it among the salvias; this is one of the larger and more commonly used species. ‘Winnifred Gilman’ is a popular cultivar, noted for its more compact form and perhaps its even more intense flower color and natural scent.
How to use it. Cleveland sage can be grown in containers, but I've seen it casually massed to best effect.

The flowers as well as the foliage of Cleveland sage are fragrant, and will release their scent if brushed up against along a path or planter edge. As one of the largest sages, it needs enough space for it to fill in. Cleveland sage is also a fire-wise plant.

Shown: With redhot lantana UCCE Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County Planting notes. Opt for a dry, sunny, well-drained site. While supplemental watering will help establish the plant, cut back on irrigation once it matures. Ormiston recommends several deep waterings over summer. The foliage is naturally a glaucous gray, becoming greener with more water. Jenn Gray After the flowers fade, leave seed heads for the birds, at least temporarily. Remove older, woodier, dead-looking portions to encourage regrowth and more fragrant blooms.

While it’s not the longest-lived plant, averaging 5 to 10 years, Cleveland sage is a California native definitely worth knowing.