Butterfly Sage Info
Butterfly sage (Cordia globosa) gets its name because it is so attractive to butterflies and other pollinators. It produces clusters of tiny, white, star-shaped flowers that aren’t especially showy but are very popular among smaller butterflies who have a hard time feeding on bigger flowers. The plant’s other common name, bloodberry, comes from the abundant clusters of deep red berries it produces when the flowers fade. These berries are excellent for attracting birds. It is a native plant in Florida, where it is listed as an endangered species. It may be illegal to harvest butterfly sage plants in the wild in your area, but you should be able to buy seedlings or seeds through a legal native plant supplier.
How to Grow Butterfly Sage
Butterfly sage plants are multi-stemmed shrubs that grow to a height and spread of 6 to 8 feet (2 m.). They are hardy in USDA zones 10 and 11. They are extremely cold sensitive, but in warm enough weather they are evergreen. Once established, they are very drought tolerant. They cannot handle salt or wind, and the leaves will burn if they are exposed to either. The plants grow best in full sun to partial shade. They can tolerate moderate pruning. Since the berries are so attractive to birds, it’s not uncommon for the seeds to be scattered around the garden through bird droppings. Keep an eye out for volunteer seedlings and weed them out when young if you don’t want the shrubs to spread all over your yard.
