Mexician Sage, how to prune?

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forgetmenot Newport, OR(Zone 5a) Dec 09, 2001

I have a Mexican bush sage I need to move. How do I go about it. Do I prune it first? Do I prune it within an inch of it's life or just enough to move it? I just planted it this summer and it's taking over my New Dawn rose. It needs a spot of it's own. It's hard to visualize what these little pups in tiny little containers are going to turn into, Pit bulls of the garden. It is beautiful, tho, just too rambunctious for where it's planted.

Post #19237
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Aimee Georgetown, TX(Zone 8a) Dec 09, 2001

Which sage is it, botanically speaking? Some appreciate, in fact demand, hard pruning, while others will pout for a year or two from more than the minimum trimming.

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forgetmenot Newport, OR(Zone 5a) Dec 10, 2001

I don't really know, Aimee. It's just the common variety that they carry at Target. I think that's where I got it. I've checked the garden books and that's about all I can come up with. I've seen it called velvet plant also. It IS beautiful. When things aren't labeled with the precise name it's often hard to figure out what you have. It's about 2 feet wide and about 3 feet tall if that's any help. And it's been very happy in full desert sun. This is my first Sage so have nothing to compare it with.

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Aimee Georgetown, TX(Zone 8a) Dec 10, 2001

Are the leaves silver? Are the blooms sort of lavender or purple? If so, it might be purple sage, erroneously called cenizo around here. It has a somewhat velvety sort of leaf. That can take a hard pruning, is shaped into hedges and must be pruned to keep from turning into ugly woody stems. If the leaves are rather dark green, it still is used as a hedge, although it remains shorter. This absolutely must be pruned way back every couple of years or it gets too woody and doesn't bloom much. Since there are so many kinds of sage on the market, it would be futile to try to search it out. With the growth you describe, it's probably necessary to prune it if it's going to fit into your landscape. I think I would prune it back severely, leaving just a few good branches. It will probably put out good new growth in the spring. If not, I will send you some of my "hummingbird magnet", the sage that blooms cerise almost all year here. Well, I'll send it anyway if you want it. Oh, is there a wonderful fragrance? The purple sage doesn't have a strong fragrance like some of the others.

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