A Favorite for Butterflies and Hummingbirds

By Norman Winter | Horticulturist, Author and Speaker

The Mexican bush sage has been blooming for a few weeks now, and like clockwork, it’s proving to be a favorite nectar source for Monarch butterflies heading south. It’s always fascinated me that, with so many other nectar flowers available in the fall, there’s something they especially like about this salvia.

Known botanically as Salvia leucantha, the Mexican bush sage is native to Mexico and Central America. It’s one of those plants I can’t imagine not having in my garden. A short-day (or long-night) bloomer, it starts flowering in late summer and keeps going through several frosts. The fuzzy, velvety purple spikes with white or purple flowers are produced in abundance. For cut-flower enthusiasts, this plant can easily yield a hundred stems for the vase. Even when not in bloom, its gray-green foliage adds interest to the garden.

As I mentioned, it’s a favorite for butterflies – especially Monarchs – but it’s also a regular feeding stop for hummingbirds. They’re drawn to the white blooms emerging from the velvety purple calyces. The ideal growing location is full sun, though the plant can tolerate a bit of afternoon shade. The soil must be very well-drained, so consider planting in raised beds or amending heavy soils with compost or humus. In fact, well-drained soil may be the key to encouraging a surprising spring return in regions farther north than expected.

When preparing your soil, incorporate 2 pounds of a slow-release 12-6-6 fertilizer per 100 square feet of bed space. Space the plants 24 to 36 inches apart, and plant them at the same depth they were growing in their containers. Avoid planting near streetlights or floodlights, as this salvia blooms in response to the number of dark hours.

Provide supplemental water during prolonged dry periods. After the first hard frost in the fall, cut the plants back to ground level and add a layer of mulch for winter protection. Feed again in the spring when you see new growth emerging, and continue feeding every six to eight weeks through September. For even more blooms in the fall, lightly prune once or twice in late April and early June. You can also harvest stems and tie them with sprigs of rosemary to hang in the kitchen – an aromatic and beautiful touch.

Mexican bush sage is mostly sold generically, but there are some standout selections worth noting: Midnight (with dark purple flowers), Kathiann Brown (a dwarf with lavender blooms), and the similar Santa Barbara (also a compact lavender variety). The standard form of Mexican bush sage typically reaches about 4 feet tall, while the compact varieties stay under 3 feet.

For companion planting, consider pairing with classic fall-blooming yellow mums – they’re an obvious but perfect match. In the herb garden, Mexican bush sage pairs well with rosemary, garlic chives, and lavender. The fall-blooming forsythia sage (Salvia madrensis), with its massive yellow flower spikes, also makes an incredible companion. Other great partners include yellow marigolds and golden lantana.

Mexican bush sage is perennial in USDA zones 8 and sometimes in zone 7, especially with perfect drainage and a protective layer of mulch. Even in cooler climates, it’s worth growing as an annual if you have a long enough season – just know it won’t bloom until August. In places like St. Louis, it typically blooms from mid-August through frost. It’s also one of the easiest plants to root from cuttings or propagate by division.

Spiky flowers always bring energy and visual interest to a garden, and Mexican bush sage is one of the best – providing nectar for pollinators, beauty in the landscape, and cut flowers by the dozen. At this time of year, it’s practically without equal. I hope you’ll give it a try.

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The Mexican bush sage is the perfect complement to fall planted marigolds, sometimes called Marimums.

This Ruby-throated hummingbird finds the Mexican bush sage to be just perfect.

The Golden Thyrallis is becoming popular in Texas and makes an ideal companion for the Mexican Bush sage.

The Mexican bush sage also dazzles in fall mixed containers.

I spend a lot of time and money every year trying to convince wildlife that I do not exist.

By bow season, I’ve got it down to a science. The right camo pattern for the terrain. Face covered. Hands covered. Everything sprayed down with whatever scent is supposed to make me smell like dirt, leaves, or possibly a rock that hasn’t been disturbed since 1987. I climb into my stand well before daylight and settle in, careful not to bump metal or do anything that would announce my presence to every deer within a quarter mile.

That morning, I was feeling especially confident about my setup.

The wind was right. The stand was tucked in perfectly. The camouflage blended so well with the tree that even I had trouble finding my own knees when I looked down. I remember thinking, If a deer spots me today, it deserves to.

That thought turned out to be a little premature.

It was still dark enough that shapes were more suggestion than detail, and the woods had that quiet, holding-its-breath feeling that only exists right before daylight. I was leaned back against the tree, bow hanging on the hook, watching the woods slowly come into focus.

That’s when I heard wings.

At first, it was just a soft rush of air. Subtle. Close enough that it registered, but not loud enough to make sense. I tilted my head slightly, trying to locate the sound without moving too much. The last thing you want to do in a tree stand is start acting suspicious.

Then it got louder.

Much louder.

I looked up just in time to see a large shape coming straight at my face.

There’s no graceful way to describe the reaction that followed. I didn’t scream, but I also didn’t not make a noise. It was some sort of half-grunt, half-gasp that came from deep in my chest as I instinctively leaned back into the tree.

The owl pulled up at the last second.

We were close enough to make eye contact, which is not something I recommend experiencing unexpectedly while twenty feet off the ground. His wings flared, feathers spread wide, and he hovered there for a split second like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

To be fair, neither could I.

We stared at each other, both clearly shaken by the encounter. I’m fairly certain he had planned to land on the tree right where my head happened to be. My camouflage had done its job so well that I had successfully fooled an apex nighttime predator.

There’s a strange mix of pride and terror that comes with that realization.

He banked hard and flew off, disappearing into the timber with a few annoyed wingbeats. I stayed frozen against the tree, heart pounding, trying to convince myself that my soul had not, in fact, just left my body.

I sat there for several minutes afterward, replaying the moment and wondering how close I’d come to becoming part of some owl’s story about “the weirdest tree I ever tried to land in.”

Once things settled down, daylight finally started to creep in. Birds picked back up. The woods returned to normal. I eased back into position, telling myself the worst part of the morning was over.

It wasn’t.

About an hour later, I caught movement to my right. A doe eased through the trees, cautious but unbothered. She passed under my stand without ever looking up. A few minutes after that, another deer followed. Still no alarm. No snorting. No busted hunt.

Apparently, owls are pickier about personal space than deer.

By the time I climbed down that morning, I hadn’t loosed an arrow, but I’d gained a healthy respect for just how invisible you can become when everything lines up. We spend so much time worrying about deer seeing us that we forget the rest of the woods is watching, too.

And sometimes, if you’re really doing things right, they won’t see you until it’s almost too late.

Next season, I might still wear the same camouflage.

But I’ll probably keep one eye on the sky.

Wildfire season in Texas doesn’t wait for summer. Across much of North and Central Texas, major grassfires have started as early as January — fueled by dormant grasses, low humidity, and years of woody growth spreading across rangeland. Cedar, mesquite, and yaupon thickets provide the perfect ladder fuels to carry fire from the ground into tree canopies and pastures, making winter cleanup not just maintenance, but prevention.

With the holidays behind and fields often resting, this is one of the best times of year to get ahead of that fuel load. Whether you manage a small acreage or a large ranch, removing brush and dead timber now pays off later in safety, forage, and water availability.

Cedar, particularly Ashe juniper, is one of the most invasive and flammable trees in the region. Its resinous foliage burns hot and fast, and when the trees grow thick together, they shade out grasses and native plants that help hold soil and retain water. Over time, cedars not only create a fire hazard but also consume significant amounts of groundwater, sometimes as much as 30 gallons per day per mature tree.

Mesquite and yaupon, while native, can also overtake pastures if left unmanaged. They spread quickly and create dense stands that trap cattle, limit forage growth, and complicate access. The key is timing — and winter offers the best conditions for many control methods.

Mechanical clearing, prescribed fire, and stump treatment can all be used effectively this time of year. With grasses dormant and less leaf moisture in woody plants, fire behavior is more predictable and mechanical work is easier on equipment and soil.

Before beginning, assess your property. Identify fuel-heavy areas, cedar thickets, and slopes where brush has crowded out grass. If you plan to burn, contact your local volunteer fire department or county extension office, and file a burn plan with the Texas A&M Forest Service. Many counties require burn permits or have burn bans depending on drought status, so always check before lighting up.

Controlled burns are one of the most cost-effective tools for smaller cedars (under six feet) or scattered regrowth after mechanical removal. For larger trees, cutting or shredding is usually necessary first. The cut-and-stuff technique — felling smaller trees and placing them beneath standing ones before burning — helps increase heat and flame height for better kill rates.

If burning isn’t possible, mechanical clearing still helps. Using a chainsaw, hydraulic shear, or skid steer attachment, cut trees low to the ground and remove piles away from fences or structures. Large piles can be left to dry for several months before burning when conditions are safe.

Clearing brush doesn’t end when the trees hit the ground. Stumps, roots, and regrowth will reclaim cleared ground if left untreated. In Texas, where cedar and mesquite are both persistent, managing the stumps is as important as the first cut.

Cedar (Ashe juniper): Unlike mesquite, cedar typically does not sprout from the stump, so a low, clean cut is sufficient. However, leaving any green material or side branches above ground can allow regrowth. Cut flush with the soil to prevent this.

Mesquite: This species resprouts aggressively. Chemical stump treatments are often necessary to prevent regrowth. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension recommends applying a herbicide mixture of diesel and herbicide (such as triclopyr or clopyralid, depending on product labeling) immediately after cutting while the wood is fresh. Apply to the outer edge of the stump, where the living tissue lies just under the bark.

Yaupon and other brush: Shrubby invaders such as yaupon, greenbriar, and wild plum respond best to mechanical clearing followed by prescribed burning or foliar herbicide in spring when plants are actively growing.

Once the initial clearing is complete, keep up with maintenance burns or mowing every three to five years. Many landowners combine these efforts with rotational grazing to promote strong grass recovery. Allowing grasses to rebound is essential, as they become the fine fuel necessary for future prescribed burns. Without them, woody plants will reestablish quickly.

Winter Advantages

Working in winter offers several benefits beyond fire prevention. Cooler temperatures reduce operator fatigue, snakes and insects are dormant, and bare trees improve visibility and access for equipment. Soil is also firmer in dry spells, which reduces rutting and erosion.

With burn bans often lifted after fall rains, January through March is prime time to coordinate with neighbors or local prescribed burn associations. The Texas A&M Forest Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department both offer guidance and sometimes cost-share programs for brush management.

If you’re not equipped for large-scale burning, even small-scale clearing along fencelines, around barns, and near roads helps create defensible space — a key buffer that can slow or stop a wildfire.

Winter also provides a chance to take care of stumps while they’re easier to access. Treating or grinding them now prevents regrowth before spring rains arrive.

When planning your next burn or brush project, remember that every tree removed is less fuel on the ground and more water in the soil. A clean pasture with a healthy stand of native grass not only supports livestock better but helps safeguard homes and property from the growing risk of wildfire in Texas rangelands.

References

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Brush Busters: How to Manage Mesquite, Yaupon, and Juniper.
• Texas A&M Forest Service – Prescribed Fire in Texas: Guidelines and Safety.
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department – Rangeland Habitat and Brush Management for Wildlife.
• Oklahoma State University Extension – Eastern Redcedar Control and Management.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service – Fuel Load Reduction and Range Restoration in Central Plains Ecosystems.