Salvia clevelandii
Cleveland sage is a rounded evergreen native shrub reaching roughly 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, with crinkled, gray-green leaves that release a strong, sweet fragrance. It needs full sun, excellent drainage, and low water once established, performing reliably on hot, dry sites and in coastal sage scrub plantings. From late spring into summer it carries showy, tiered whorls of lavender-blue flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds and dry attractively on the stem. Use it for low-water borders, fragrant pollinator and habitat gardens, and dry slopes; light pruning after bloom maintains a compact form.