SALVIA. Sage. Worldwide. This is a huge and diverse group of mint allies, grown both for ornament and for herbal qualities. Those listed below are undemanding perennials and shrubs with usually rough-textured, aromatic leaves. Some form broad rosettes of basal leaves; others have branched, leafy stems. Usually the leaves are paired along the stems. Irregular 2-lipped flowers are borne in dense heads, whorls or spikes above the foliage. They come in nearly every floral shade, including near-black. Culture and hardiness vary widely, though most prefer a sunny spot with well drained soil. Many, particularly natives of California and the Southwest, are drought tolerant.

apiana. White sage. This is a common sight in the hills of southern California but not well known in the north. The main body of the plant is usually under 3' high, with several short, stocky stems. These are crowded with nearly white, somewhat bitterly aromatic leaves, up to 4" long. Above them rise openly branched, wandlike flower stems, as much as 6' high. These carry rather few flowers up to 1" in length, white overall with lavender or pink markings. These plants originally from Tree of Life Nursery are particularly nice, with compact habit and large leaves. They will need more sun and better soil drainage than many salvias but have nearly unlimited drought tolerance. Hardy to 20^oF or less.

‘Bee’s Bliss’. This recent introduction captures some of the best features of S. sonomensis (described below) with a distinctly less temperamental disposition. It makes broad, dense mats with bright greyish leaves, about 2" long. In spring and early summer it is decorated by many clusters of lavender blossoms, borne at the shoot tips. This is potentially a valuable ground cover for exposed banks and slopes, and a pretty plant for low borders, if full sun and well drained soil can be provided. Probably 15^oF or less.

clevelandii hybrids. When closely related salvias come into a garden, it is nearly inevitable that the bees will try their hands (claws?) at hybridizing, and that something beautiful will appear. Several popular shrubby natives were once universally listed as cultivars of S. clevelandii, blue sage. Careful study at Rancho Santa Ana and elsewhere showed them to be hybrids with S. leucophylla and others. The first to be recognized as such was ‘Allen Chickering’, originating at Rancho Santa Ana. This is still my favorite of the group. It is a dense shrub, 4-5’ tall with greater spread. The twigs are clothed with 3" grey green, fragrant leaves which make a pleasant tea. In late spring and summer many 1-2’ blooming stems rise from the shoot tips, displaying deep lavender blossoms in interrupted ball shaped clusters. A somewhat larger, slightly looser growing selection, ‘Aromas’, was first raised by the late Ken Taylor in the town of the same name. The flower clusters can be even larger and darker than those of ‘Allen Chickering’. ‘Whirly Blue’ is yet another, similar selection, quite bushy and grey-leaved. Occasional watering when established. Around 15^oF.

‘Dara's Choice’. Sonoma sage. An apparent hybrid of S. sonomensis, selected by the late Dara Emery at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. It is a spreading, semishrubby perennial forming broad carpets of grey green leaves. It is decorated by many 6-12" spikes of purple flowers in spring. It is exceptionally attractive and more disease-resistant than the species generally. Useful as a bank cover or for draping over walls and rockery. It tolerates some shade. Little or no watering when established. About 10^oF.

leucophylla ‘Figueroa’. Purple sage. I once set out to find plants with better cold tolerance than available in coastal selections of this species. ‘Figueroa’ is ornamentally the best of the resulting selections. It is a compact shrub 3-4' tall, with wider spread. Both stems and leaves are covered with white wool. In summer it produces long stems displaying interrupted clusters of lavender pink flowers. Very heat and drought-tolerant and useful as a cover for dry banks. 15^oF or less.

sonomensis. Sonoma sage. I am pleased to have this species to describe once again, though it sometimes tries the patience of all who grow it. This is a prostrate, semishrubby perennial, often seen making broad carpets in the California chaparral. The stems are closely lined by rather narrow, pleasantly to bitterly aromatic leaves, about 2" long. They are covered by short hairs, especially on the lower surface, and can be almost ashy grey in color (some forms have tired-looking yellowish green leaves, but one would hardly consider these for the garden. Rising straight up off the mats in spring are slender stems carrying interrupted clusters of deep purple to white (unfortunately, usually "dirty white") blossoms. My recent selections are from the nearby Gabilan Range and combine bright grey leaves with violet flowers. This is an ideal ground cover for steep, dry banks, needing full exposure and excellent soil drainage to reliably persist. 15^oF or less.