Bethlehem sage

Bethlehem sage: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low clump about 30 cm tall that spreads to 60 cm wide.

Leaves

Oblong to lance-shaped, 15–25 cm, rough and hairy, dark green with silvery white spots; partly evergreen in mild winters.

Flower

Funnel-shaped bells in clusters on short stems, from March to May.

Colour

Pink in bud and when opening, then blue to violet-blue; white cultivars exist too.

Roots

A short, creeping rhizome with fleshy roots.

Flowering: March–May · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: February and June

Why grow it?

• One of the first flowers of the year, from March to May.
• Valuable food for early bumblebees and wild bees, such as the hairy-footed flower bee.
• The silver-spotted leaves stay handsome all summer in shade.
• A dense ground cover that suppresses weeds beneath shrubs and trees.
• Pink and blue flowers on the same plant at the same time.

Bethlehem sage: where does it grow best?

• Partial to full shade; in full sun the leaves wilt and scorch.
• Humus-rich loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Moderately moist: do not let the soil dry out, or the leaves get powdery mildew.
• Plant 40–45 cm apart, about five to six plants per m².

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

0.3 m tall, 0.6 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Ferns: Fine green fronds beside the spotted leaves, in the same shade.
• Solomon’s seal: Arching stems above the low lungwort.
• Snowdrop: White bells among the leaves in February and March.
• Barrenwort: Another tough ground cover for shade, with dainty spring flowers.
• Hosta: Large leaves that follow on nicely from the spotted foliage after flowering.

Bethlehem sage: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or September–October.
2. Mix compost or leaf mould into the soil.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as it was in the pot and firm the soil.
4. Leave 40–45 cm between plants.
5. Water in thoroughly straight away, even if it is raining.
6. Spread leaf mould or compost around the plants as a mulch.

Care

Watering

Water in dry spells, especially in summer: drought is the main cause of powdery mildew.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould or compost every spring or autumn.

Feeding

Not needed on top of the mulch.

After flowering

Cut away the faded stems and old leaves: fresh, healthy leaves soon follow.

Dividing

Every three or four years after flowering or in autumn, when the centre of the clump goes bare.

Tip: Strongly silver-spotted leaves that stay handsome all summer in shade. Cut away the old leaves after flowering and water in dry spells, or the leaves will get powdery mildew.

Bethlehem sage: when to prune it?

Pruning months: February and June.

When: After flowering, in late May or June, cut away the flower stems and old leaves. In February, tidy away damaged leaves before the flowers appear.

How:

• Cut the faded flower stems off at the base.
• Remove leaves with mildew or brown spots completely; the new leaves will be healthy.
• In February, cut away old, tattered leaves without touching the young flower buds.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

After flowering or in September–October: lift the clump, split it with a spade or knife into pieces with roots and a few leaves, and replant them straight away. Water well.

Root cuttings

In winter: lay pieces of thick root about 5 cm long in a pot of cutting compost and keep them cool and slightly moist.

Seedlings

It sometimes self-seeds; the seedlings do not always look like the parent plant.

Bethlehem sage: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, to about −30 °C: no protection is needed.
• The leaves partly survive mild winters; in hard frost they die back and regrow in spring.
• Leave fallen tree leaves between the plants as a natural winter blanket.

Diseases and pests

• Powdery mildew: White powder on the leaves in summer, especially in dry weather. Water, mulch and cut off affected leaves.
• Limp leaves: In sun or dry weather the leaves droop. Water, or move it to a shadier spot.
• Slugs: They eat the young leaves in spring. Pick them off in the evening.
• Bare centre: Older clumps go bare in the middle. Divide them and replant the young outer pieces.

Through the year

• February: Cut away old and tattered leaves.
• March: In flower. Plant.
• April: In full flower. Plant. Bumblebees and bees on the flowers.
• May: Last flowers. Divide after flowering.
• June: Cut away faded stems and old leaves. Water in dry spells.
• July: Water in dry spells to prevent mildew.
• August: Water in dry spells. Top up the mulch.
• September: Plant and divide.
• October: Plant. Mulch with leaf mould.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The flowers change from pink to blue because the acidity in the petals changes as they age.
• People once thought the spotted leaves looked like a lung; that is where the name lungwort comes from.
• The species name saccharata means ‘sugared’: the white spots look like sprinkled sugar.