Chia is grown and consumed commercially in its native Mexico and Guatemala, as well as Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Nicaragua, northwestern Argentina, parts of Australia, and the southwestern United States.

[11] For production sites located in different ecosystems in Bolivia, Ecuador and northwestern Argentina, growing cycles are between 100 and 150 days in duration.

[12] In northwestern Argentina, a time span from planting to harvest of 120–180 days is reported for fields located at elevations of 900–1,500 m (3,000–4,900 ft).

[15] Now, traditional domesticated lines of Salvia species grow naturally or can be cultivated in temperate zones at higher latitudes in the United States.

[14] Advances in plant breeding during 2012, however, led to development of new early-flowering chia genotypes proving to have higher yields in Kentucky.

[15] Seed yield varies depending on cultivars, mode of cultivation, and growing conditions by geographic region.

[citation needed] The cultivation of S. hispanica requires light to medium clay or sandy soils.

[15] Traditional cultivation techniques of S. hispanica include soil preparation by disruption and loosening followed by seed broadcasting.

[17] Essential oils in chia leaves have repellent properties against insects, making it suitable for organic cultivation.