USGrowersGuide

Plants · Herbs

Sage planting zones

Sage (Salvia officinalis) is a perennial. By the type table below, at least one type lives through winter in the ground in 4a–13b; colder than that, it is a pot plant or a one-season crop. Below the types are the dates that decide when it goes out and when it comes in: each zone’s median last spring freeze and first fall freeze, from NOAA records.

Published October 25, 2026 · Cite this page

The types

Which sage to grow

Type Hardy in the ground Notes
Common sage Salvia officinalis 4a to 8b, then too hot or humid NC State rates it 4a to 8b; Wisconsin 4a to 10b. Clemson says sage can be difficult to grow in coastal areas.
‘Berggarten’ sage Salvia officinalis ‘Berggarten’ 5a to 9a, then too hot or humid Large silvery leaves, mildew resistant, hardy to 5a (Wisconsin). Clemson says it seems better adapted to heat than the species.
Purple sage Salvia officinalis ‘Purpurascens’ 6a to 8b, then too hot or humid Wisconsin says it is not as winter hardy as common sage, only to zone 6; Illinois says it is not dependably hardy in zone 5.
Golden sage Salvia officinalis ‘Aurea’, ‘Icterina’ 6a to 8b, then too hot or humid Wisconsin rates ‘Aurea’ hardy only to zone 5b or 6a; Illinois says golden sage is not dependably winter hardy in zone 5.
Tricolor sage Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’ 6a to 8b, then too hot or humid Green leaves streaked rose and white. Wisconsin rates it hardy only to zone 5b or 6a.
Pineapple sage Salvia elegans 8b no warm-end limit Pineapple-scented leaves and red flowers (Clemson). Texas A&M calls it very cold sensitive; Mississippi State a tender perennial.

Zone ranges are a judgement: horticultural convention set beside what the sources below say, not a measurement. They agree with our What survives my winter tool. In the next table the freeze dates are measured, and the count of hardy types comes from these judged ranges.

Zone by zone

Where sage lives through winter, and when the freezes fall

Each date is the median across every NOAA station the zone’s ZIP codes cite, 1991–2020 normals. The middle half of those stations falls within the range shown beside it.

Zone Types hardy in the ground Last spring freeze First fall freeze
3a 0 of 6 only 10 stations with comparable freeze dates — too few to publish a date
3b 0 of 6 May 18 · middle half May 15 – May 25 September 23 · middle half September 17 – September 26
4a 1 of 6 May 15 · middle half May 10 – May 21 September 27 · middle half September 22 – September 30
4b 1 of 6 May 11 · middle half May 5 – May 23 September 30 · middle half September 23 – October 3
5a 2 of 6 May 9 · middle half May 1 – May 20 October 2 · middle half September 26 – October 7
5b 2 of 6 May 4 · middle half April 27 – May 15 October 8 · middle half October 1 – October 14
6a 5 of 6 May 1 · middle half April 24 – May 9 October 14 · middle half October 5 – October 20
6b 5 of 6 April 25 · middle half April 17 – May 3 October 20 · middle half October 11 – October 24
7a 5 of 6 April 19 · middle half April 11 – April 27 October 23 · middle half October 17 – October 28
7b 5 of 6 April 8 · middle half April 3 – April 16 October 30 · middle half October 25 – November 3
8a 5 of 6 March 30 · middle half March 25 – April 5 November 5 · middle half November 1 – November 10
8b 6 of 6 March 20 · middle half March 13 – March 29 November 12 · middle half November 7 – November 18
9a 2 of 6 March 5 · middle half February 24 – March 15 November 24 · middle half November 18 – December 2
9b 1 of 6 February 12 · middle half January 30 – February 25 December 8 · middle half December 1 – December 17
10a 1 of 6 107 of 190 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from
10b 1 of 6 70 of 79 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from
11a 1 of 6 34 of 34 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from
11b 1 of 6 12 of 12 stations here record no ordinary freeze, so there is no freeze date to count from

“Types hardy in the ground” is a judgement, from the type table above. The freeze dates are measured.

A zone does not tell you your own dates. Inside a single zone the median last spring freeze still varies by 34 days from station to station, so the box below gives the dates of the NOAA station nearest your ZIP code.

Your ZIP code

Your ZIP, your answer

Enter your ZIP code to see your USDA zone, how many of the 6 types on this page live through that zone’s winter and when its freezes fall, read from the table on this page, and the freeze dates of the NOAA station nearest you.

Works for all 40,502 US ZIP codes. Freeze dates need a NOAA station within 100 km; where there is none, the page says so rather than estimating one. Your ZIP code stays in your browser: the page downloads the file of ZIP codes that share its first three digits and looks yours up there. It is not stored or tracked.

Your answer appears here.

Full details for any ZIP code: ZIP code zone finder.

Which sage for your zone

University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension calls Salvia officinalis an aromatic, rather woody perennial subshrub, hardy in zones 4a to 10b, that tends to be short-lived and is often best replaced every few years. It rates ‘Berggarten’, with large silvery leaves, hardy to zone 5a and mildew resistant; golden ‘Aurea’ and ‘Tricolor’ only to zone 5b or 6a; and purple sage only to zone 6. NC State’s Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox rates common sage 4a to 8b, and University of Illinois Extension says golden, purple and tricolor sage are not dependably hardy in zone 5.

In the South, Clemson’s Home & Garden Information Center says sage needs excellent drainage and dry soil in full sun, can be difficult to grow in coastal areas, and that ‘Berggarten’ seems better adapted to heat than the species. Mississippi State’s Vegetable Gardener’s Guide calls sage a short-lived perennial that struggles with humidity and wet soil, and says partial shade may help. UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County lists common, pineapple, Mexican bush and tricolor sage for Central Florida.

Planting

The sources differ on seed. Wisconsin says sage is easy to start from seed, though most named varieties are propagated from cuttings, layering or division; it sows directly in the garden on the average date of last frost, or starts seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before then, and says either way the plants may not flower the first year. Illinois prefers cuttings, because seed may take several years to produce harvestable plants.

Wisconsin spaces plants 18 to 24 inches apart in a sunny spot with well-drained soil, and roots softwood cuttings in summer in moist, well-drained potting mix. Illinois prepares the soil with compost and says that for sage to act as a perennial it must have very well drained soil, especially over winter. Texas A&M’s Growing Herbs in Texas plants cuttings in a well-drained spot in full sun, 30 inches apart.

UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says the quickest start in Florida is a transplant from a garden center, and that sage can be started from seed or cuttings any time from fall through spring. UF/IFAS Pasco County plants in fall or early spring so roots establish before the summer heat, in full sun for at least 6 to 8 hours a day and well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.

Watering and pruning

Wisconsin says sage tolerates drought and poor soil but produces better with consistent water. UGA’s Herbs in Southern Gardens says that once established it usually does well on rainfall alone, demands well-drained soil, and that some growers plant it on a small mound. UF/IFAS Pasco County says to avoid over-fertilizing, which gives leggy growth and less flavor.

Wisconsin prunes in spring and a few times through the season, to encourage young shoots with a strong flavor and keep the plant from turning leggy and flowering. Illinois prunes back in spring just as new growth resumes. NC State warns not to prune into mature woody stems, which seldom sprout new growth. UF/IFAS Pasco County prunes no more than a third of the plant at a time and pinches off flower buds as soon as they appear when sage is grown for cooking.

Dividing and renewing

Wisconsin divides plants every few years to rejuvenate them, layers established branches in spring and fall, and divides large plants in spring. Illinois says sage turns woody as it ages and is worth replacing to keep good leaves for cooking, and UGA says that with age it grows woody stems and becomes bush-like.

Harvesting for the kitchen

Wisconsin says sage takes about 75 days from planting to first harvest. At least twice in the season it cuts 6 to 8 inches from the top of the plants, picks leaves as wanted as long as no more than half the plant is cut, or it stops producing, and harvests before the plant flowers. Illinois harvests leaves through the season as needed; Texas A&M’s bulletin harvests leaves when flowering begins.

UF/IFAS Pasco County harvests as needed through the season and one final time before flowering, and keeps stems for immediate use in a jar of water. Illinois uses sage with fish, pork, poultry, vegetables and in sausages.

Getting sage through winter

Illinois says cuttings taken in summer root easily and can be potted for use indoors in winter, in a sunny spot. Wisconsin grows the smaller varieties in containers to bring inside for fresh sage through the winter. In the garden, Penn State mulches perennial herbs 4 inches deep after the ground freezes in early winter and leaves the mulch on until plants show growth in spring.

In Central Florida, UF/IFAS Pasco County covers sage with frost cloth or brings pots indoors during frost, and avoids overwatering in cool weather to prevent root rot.

Common problems

Wisconsin says sage has few pests in well-drained soil and that good air circulation reduces foliar diseases; possible problems include slugs, spider mites, spittle bugs, root rot and wilt. NC State adds leafhoppers, powdery mildew and verticillium wilt. UGA says sage is susceptible to nematodes and root rot. UF/IFAS Pasco County says there is no saving a plant with root rot: remove it and improve the drainage for the others.

NC State’s plant toolbox tags common sage as non-toxic for cats, dogs and horses.

Common mistakes

We found no Texas source on sage beyond planting and spacing: Texas A&M’s Growing Herbs in Texas gives those only. LSU AgCenter and Alabama Extension did not load.

Questions

What zone is sage hardy in?
Wisconsin rates common sage zones 4a to 10b and NC State 4a to 8b. Wisconsin rates ‘Berggarten’ to 5a and golden, tricolor and purple sage only to 5b, 6a or 6. The type table on this page gives each type’s range, as a judgement.
Why is my sage dying?
Usually wet soil. Illinois says sage must have very well drained soil, especially over winter, and Wisconsin, NC State and UGA all list root rot. UF/IFAS Pasco County says a plant with root rot cannot be saved; remove it and improve the drainage.
When should I prune sage?
Wisconsin prunes in spring and a few times through the season; Illinois prunes back in spring just as new growth resumes. NC State says not to prune into mature woody stems, which seldom sprout.
Can sage grow in Florida?
Yes. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions says sage can be started from seed or cuttings any time from fall through spring, and UF/IFAS Pasco County plants in fall or early spring so roots establish before summer heat, in full sun and well-drained soil.
How much sage can I harvest at once?
Wisconsin says to pick as wanted as long as you do not cut back more than half the plant, or it will stop producing; UF/IFAS Pasco County prunes no more than a third at a time.

Sources

Freeze dates on this page are NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, for every station the ZIP codes in each zone cite. Zones are the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. The type table is a judgement, as labelled above. Growing advice is quoted from the extension publications below, each written for its own area.

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Published October 25, 2026

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