Getting it to bloom
Why won't my Mountain Desert Sage bloom? (and how to make it flower)
Also called Mountain desert sage, Rose sage, Mojave sage, Thick-leaved sage (Salvia pachyphylla).
More about mountain desert sage
About Mountain Desert Sage
Salvia pachyphylla · also called Mountain desert sage, Rose sage · flowering
Salvia pachyphylla is a silvery, intensely aromatic sub-shrub native to the mountains and high desert of the Mojave and Sonoran regions of southern California and Baja California, typically growing at elevations of 1,500–3,000 m. It produces long-lasting, showy spikes of violet-blue flowers emerging from persistent dusty-rose to mauve bracts from late June through to September. The most critical care fact is that it demands excellent drainage and full sun, and will decline or die in heavy, moist soil particularly in winter — it is built for dry, rocky habitats. According to the ASPCA, sage (Salvia spp.) is listed as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses.
Plant type: flowering
Watch for — Woody dieback without pruning: Without annual pruning after flowering, the plant becomes excessively woody and open; cut back by one-third in early autumn to maintain a compact, vigorous habit.
The reasons mountain desert sage isn't blooming
Almost every non-blooming mountain desert sage traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:
- Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
- Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
- The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
- Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
- It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.
Feeding mountain desert sage a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
The fix — how to get mountain desert sage to flower
- Maximise sun. Give mountain desert sage the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
- Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
- Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
- Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.
Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for mountain desert sage and get the feeding right with the mountain desert sage fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.
Bloom season and what to expect
Mountain Desert Sage flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
Post-bloom care so it flowers again
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full mountain desert sage care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.
Mountain Desert Sage blooming — frequently asked questions
Why won't my mountain desert sage flower?
Mountain Desert Sage blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
How do I make mountain desert sage bloom?
Give mountain desert sage the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
When does mountain desert sage normally bloom?
Mountain Desert Sage flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.
What should I do with mountain desert sage after it flowers?
Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.
What is the single biggest mistake stopping mountain desert sage flowering?
Feeding mountain desert sage a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.
Keep reading
- Mountain Desert Sage care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- Mountain Desert Sage light needs — usually the first thing to fix for flowers
- Mountain Desert Sage fertilising — the right feed for buds, not just leaves
- Should I water my plant? The simple check
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry
- Underwatered plant — signs and rehydration
- Why won't my peace lily bloom?
- Why won't my jade plant bloom?
- Why won't my tomato bloom?
- All 4114 bloom guides in the Growli library