prairie shrub
Dorr's Sage Complex
Salvia dorrii
1 of 2Native to Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington
Washington and Oregon, east of the Cascades, to California, east to southwestern Idaho, Utah and Arizona
- Light Full sun Sun tolerance
- Moisture Dry Moisture preference
- Zones n/a Cold to heat range
- Bloom May–Jun Flowering time
- Height up to 3 ft to 0.9 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A prairie shrub for full sun and lean, dry soil. At up to 3 ft, it suits meadows and sunny borders.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Pollinators & wildlife
- Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee
also Western Honey Bee, Brown-belted Bumble Bee, Two-spotted Bumble Bee +14 more
American Bumble Bee, Yellow-faced Bumble Bee, Black-tailed Bumble Bee, Bombus fervidus, Hunt's Bumble Bee, Perplexing Bumble Bee, European Woolcarder Bee, Yellow-fronted Bumble Bee, Nevada Bumble Bee, Great Basin Bumble Bee, Crotch's Bumble Bee, Van Dyke's Bumble Bee, Morrison's Bumble Bee, Anthophora crotchii - Butterflies Painted Lady also Desert Black Swallowtail, Abaeis nicippe, Atalopedes campestris
- Moths California Pyrausta Moth
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Black swallowtailnectar
- Painted ladynectar
- Sleepy orangenectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- PrairieThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and WashingtonUnited States (7): AZ, CA, ID, NV, OR, UT, WA. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Washington and Oregon, east of the Cascades, to California, east to southwestern Idaho, Utah and ArizonaThe same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sunHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Soil
- Dry, perfectly drained soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- 6.5–8.0The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Soil quality
- MediumHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
- Water use
- MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Salinity tolerance
- LowHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
- Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance
- NoneHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 3 ft (to 0.9 m)Typical mature height.
- Spread
- ~2 ft (0.6 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
- Shape
- ErectIts overall silhouette.
- Root depth
- 14+ in (36+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- May–JunWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- BlueThe bloom color, or colors.
- Fruit/Seeds
- NutletsThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.
Propagation & seed
- Cold stratification
- Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
- Propagation
- Bare root, container, cuttings, seedHow to start new plants.
- Seed
- ~0.3 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
- Seed spread rate
- ModerateHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
- Seedling vigor
- MediumHow strongly young seedlings establish.
- Vegetative spread
- NoneWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.