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Lepechinia hastata (Baja Pitcher Sage) - An evergreen to semi-evergreen sub-shrub 4 to 6 feet tall and spreading slowly by underground rhizomes to at least as wide with pleasantly aromatic large soft arrow-shaped leaves and magenta sage-like flowers on open 1 foot long spikes above the foliage at branch tips in the summer and early fall.
Plant in sun (best) or part shade in any type of soil but best in one that drains fairly well and requires little to no water in coastal gardens. Is reportedly root hardy to 0°F and evergreen in mild climates but best cut back in winter to tidy up. A very nice plant that is attractive to both people, hummingbirds bees and butterflies, but deer seem to leave alone. It has an interesting aroma that is somewhat reminiscent to us of a nice fragrant cleaning compound, though others describe it as being like Kool-Aid.
Baja Pitcher Sage is native to Baja California and Baja California Sur, including the Revillagigedo Islands, which lie nearly 250 miles south of the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. It is also found on Maui in the Hawaiian Islands, though most consider these to be introduced and naturalized populations. The genus was named for the 18th century Russian physician, naturalist and explorer Ivan Ivanovich Lepechin. The genus Lepechiniella in the Boraginaceae was also named in his honor, as was Mount Lepechin in the North Urals and the town of Lepechin in Saratov. The specific epithet is in reference to the hastate shaped leaves. It is also commonly called Pakaha, False Salvia, Baja Pitcher Sage, Pitcher Plant and Island Pitcher Sage.
We first received this plant in 1992 from Daryll Combs of Daryll's Exotic and have grown it off and on at our nursery since 1993. A 20 year old plant in part sun in our nursery garden receives NO supplemental irrigation, growing well through the drought years of 2012 to 2015 on rainfall alone, reaching about 3 feet tall by 6 feet wide.
This information about Lepechinia hastata displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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