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.

blepharophylla. Mexico. A brittle semi-shrub growing about 18" high. It forms small colonies from underground rhizomes and branches from the base. The leaves are narrowly oval, about 2" long and deep green in color. Loose clusters of bright red flowers, each nearly 1" broad, are displayed above the foliage in summer and fall. 20^oF. or less.

buchananii. Another Mexican sage (there are so many), with several erect, branched and very brittle stems to 2’ high from a woody base. The leaves are up to 3" long, deep green and quite glossy. Elevated well above them in open, interrupted clusters are large, vivid reddish purple blossoms. It flowers most of the year in mild climates. About 20^oF.

cacaliaefolia. A “relaxed” semishrub, with sprawling stems which take root where they touch the ground to make mounds up to 3' high and 6' or more broad. The stems are lined by triangular bright green leaves, 1-3" long. It is nearly everblooming near the coast, producing clusters of bright, true blue flowers, each a little over an inch long, at every shoot tip. Its hardiness is not well tested; assume 20-25^oF.

chamaedryoides is one of the prettiest of all the salvias and has gotten a rousing response from the gardening public. It is a compact shrub, growing about 3' tall and 4-5' broad in this selection. The stems are pale and greyish, and closely lined by small, broadly oval leaves, greyish green on their upper surface, nearly white beneath. Short clusters of bright, true blue flowers grace the plant most of the year. Its main drawback is a marked intolerance of excessive moisture or poor soil drainage. 15-20^oF.

chiapensis. Though almost too tender to recommend as a plant for the open garden, this is one of the prettiest of the Mexican salvias. It is only 1-2’ high, with spreading, freely branched stems lined by nearly heart-shaped leaves. The leaves are dark green and have a satiny surface. In summer and fall (sometimes for most of the year) it carries many narrowly tubular flowers, deep purplish pink in color, on slender stalks at the shoot tips. About 25^oF.

chionophylla. A prostrate and ground-covering salvia with furry whitish stems closely lined by 3/4" grey-green leaves. The stems root as they travel, making it potentially useful as a bank cover (also potentially invasive in the garden). Small bright blue flowers are clustered at the shoot tips in summer. 20-25^oF.

coahuilensis hybrid. This is the name under which Salvia muelleri was first received. The current selection is fairly distinct, however, though clearly part of the greggii/muelleri complex. This is a small shrub, probably never much over 3'. It forms small colonies by means of underground rhizomes. Each major shoot has upswept branches and small, rather light green leaves. In contrast, the small flowers are colored a rich, deep violet, equalled by few other salvias. Probably 15^oF or less.

coccinea. A fairly short-lived perennial which, however, does an admirable job of self-sowing. Fortunately the seedlings are easy to rogue out where they are not wanted. It grows bushy and erect to 2-3’. Both the stems and the broadly oval 1-2", dark green leaves are densely hairy. Beginning in late spring—and with occasional shearing of spent stems, continuing through fall—it produces a profusion of brightly colored 1" blossoms in dense spikes with decorative bracts. Flowers of ‘Lady in Red’ are bright scarlet in color. Those of ‘Coral Nymph’ are soft coral pink. ‘Snow Nymph’ has pure white flowers. The plants in each case are about 2’ tall. Hardy to 15-20^oF., resprouting after the tops are killed to the ground.

darcyi. A robust plant, making many upsweeping 3’ stems from the base. The leaves are about 2“ long, broad, resinous and light green in color. Stunning bright red flowers are borne many to each long cluster at the shoot tips. Though it has a subtropical look, it is said by the folks at Yucca Do Nursery in Texas to have weathered 4^oF.

‘Dark Dancer’. A stunning hybrid discovered as a chance seedling at Wintergreen by Victor Quintero. The likely parents are S. muelleri and a large flowered S. microphylla, both described below. It grows round and dense, about 3' tall, with foliage like S. muelleri or S. greggii. The flowers are exceptionally large for this group and have broad, rounded “skirts” of rich red-violet, reminiscent to us of little ballerinas. Probably 15^oF or less.

elegans. Pineapple sage. I have abandoned efforts with the typical form of this species, though I consider it a fine garden sage. However, for those intimidated by its size and vigor, the selection ‘Compacta’ should provide a much more manageable alternative. It is a bushy plant of 2-3', the stems closely lined by pairs of nearly round, pineapple-scented 2" leaves. Slender blooming stems carry many tubular, bright red blossoms in summer and fall. A more recent acquisition, from Jon Dixon, is ‘Frieda Dixon’. It grows more upright, like the typical form, but is dense and well-behaved. The flowers are painted a beautiful coral pink. Both should be root-hardy to 18^oF or less, though the tops are damaged at around 25^oF.

fulgens. A closely branched shrub up to 3' tall, with nearly heart shaped leaves which are bright green above, grey beneath. In summer it displays beautiful 2" scarlet blossoms in interrupted clusters along 1' stalks. Moderate to regular watering. Hardiness uncertain—probably around 20^oF.

gesneriiflora ‘Tequila’. A robust shrub, growing 8' tall or more. It has bright, nearly chartreuse stems and foliage. The leaves are large, nearly heart shaped and felted with fine hairs. It blooms mostly during the cooler months, carrying clusters of 2½" blossoms at the shoot tips. The tube is scarlet, making a striking contrast with a nearly black calyx. Damaged at 25^o but it has recovered quickly after bouts of 20^oF or less.

glechomaefolia. This is a pleasant little plant, never making quite the spectacle of some salvias but always neat and pretty. It makes a slowly spreading mat from underground rhizomes, with erect, leafy shoots up to 1' high. The leaves are bright green and softly shiny. Small violet flowers with white markings are borne in interrupted clusters above the foliage, throughout the summer and well into fall. This salvia thrives in a protected spot and will even bloom well in part shade. Its hardiness is not well tested; probably 20^oF or less.

greggii. This species has long been popular for landscape use, though until recently the material available reflected little of its diversity in the wild. Some dedicated effort in selection has resulted in a wealth of new flower colors. Most clones are in the 2-4’ range. All have closely branched stems and narrow 3/4-1½" leaves, colored light green to bluish green. The ½-1" blossoms are dotted in small clusters over the plants much of the year. Our earlier material, received from James David in Austin, Texas, includes selections with white, coral, and deep red flowers. Betsy Clebsch’s selection, ‘Annie’, has blossoms I would describe as hot lipstick pink. Our own cross between this one and a coral-orange selection, dubbed ‘Wild Thing’, has blossoms of an incredible, glowing orange-red. ‘Moonlight’, discovered by our own Jose Gonsales, is a particularly compact plant bearing masses of moonlight yellow blossoms. ‘Plum Wine’ has reddish purple flowers. These are perfect shrubs for exposed banks and neglected corners of the garden. With better treatment or heavy soils they grow and flower beautifully for a while, but tend to be short-lived. Mostly 15^oF. or less.

involucrata. Though probably not for the small city garden (it should fill at least a 6' x 6' space), this is otherwise a plant every salvia lover should have. It is stout and bushy, with a lush covering of 3" dark, velvety leaves. In late summer and fall clusters of large rose-colored flowers with decorative bracts are borne at each shoot tip. Sun or light shade, most soils, moderate watering. Hardy to 20^oF or less.

x jamensis (previously listed under S. greggii). This is a swarm of natural hybrids found in northern Mexico, involving S. greggii and S. microphylla. Recent explorations by the folks from Yucca Do Nursery in Texas, plus the diligent efforts of hummingbirds and bees, have resulted in several showy selections from the complex. They generally resemble S. greggii in habit and foliage. The flowers tend to be larger and display an unusual range of colors, including yellow and orange shades. ‘Cienega de Oro’ is an upright 2-3' shrub with pale yellow flowers.‘Chiffon’, another upright selection with large, pale yellow flowers, is probably also of this group. ‘Sierra San Antonio’ is similar in habit. Its flowers combine moonlight yellow and an unusual soft orange. ‘Coral Sunrise’ is a recent introduction by Ginny Hunt, bushy in habit and growing about 3' high. The flowers are deep coral pink on opening, lighter as they age. The calyx and flower stems are nearly black. Probably 15^oF or less.

leucantha. Mexican bush sage. A bushy perennial which spreads underground to form dense colonies. The stems are 2-3' tall and covered with white wool. Closely lining them are long, narrow greyish green leaves. A striking contrast is created from late spring to fall by 1-2' flower stems densely covered with purple-rose hairs and displaying clusters of—in our traditional selection—rosy purple flowers (the typical flower color is white). ‘Eder’ is a sport discovered recently at the nursery by Leonel Morales. It has leaves irregularly margined in creamy yellow, and the same rosy purple flowers as “mama” plant. Winter deciduous (or more precisely, burned down by frost, then reappearing from the rootstock in spring). Most soils, moderate to little watering. About 15^oF.

madrensis. Beautiful though potentially overwhelming in a small garden. It spreads by underground rhizomes to make broad thickets (simply pull out young stems where they're not wanted). Conspicuously angled stems rise 8' or more from the ground, bearing deeply textured, elongated heart shaped leaves up to 6" long, with stalks of equal length. In fall and winter the plant glows with golden yellow blossoms, each a little over an inch long, opening in succession along 1-2' stalks. Probably 15^oF or less, though the tops are damaged at 25^oF.

melissodora. Grape-scented sage. I was grateful to receive this shrubby sage from Pat McNeal, and more so once it reached full size. It should become one of the popular garden salvias. The plant is upright but bushy in habit, with many slender twigs. These are closely lined with bright green 1" leaves, furry beneath. It seems to bloom most of the year, with many short stalks carrying interrupted clusters of fragrant flowers, each combining shades of lavender and darker purple. It is easily grown, though hardy only to about 25^oF, or a little less.

mexicana. This is a robust plant, growing at least 6' and probably 10' tall, with nearly erect branches and broad, satiny dark green leaves 3-5" long. In late summer each shoot tip carries a a dense, long cluster of 1" to nearly 3" blossoms, bright blue to blue-violet in contrast with a chartreuse to nearly black calyx. Hardy to around 20^oF or less, though the foliage is damaged at around 25^oF.

microphylla. This species is part of a botanical complex with S. greggii, S. muelleri and S. coahuilensis. Distinguishing them sometimes requires a trained botanist, though each has many beautiful forms. This one, which is found from southern Arizona to southern Mexico, is extremely variable. It is a profusely branched shrub with slender young stems and usually small, flat, green leaves. The flowers are of variable size, up to perhaps 1" long and broad, much like those of S. greggii in form, and borne most of the year in loose clusters at the shoot tips. Colors range from white to intense violet, rose pink and fire engine red. We offer most of these at one time or another, simply under their color names. Most forms are easily grown and drought tolerant, though their hardiness varies considerably.

ssp. (var.?) grahami (S. grahami). While botanists debate the “true” identity of this complex entity, we can simply appreciate its ornamental features. The plants are usually quite full, with relatively broad leaves of variable size. Our original offering is round and about as dense as a salvia can be, with bright green leaves and brilliant red flowers, borne mostly in midsummer. 20^oF. or less.

var. neurepia (“deltoid leaf form” in previous editions of this guide). One of the showiest, toughest and longest lived of the southwestern salvias. The unnamed selection at hand is a nearly round to spreading shrub, growing 3-5’ tall and a little more openly branched than S. greggii. It has broad, conspicuously angled and toothed leaves and bears a continual succession of large, bright red blossoms. My own home plant has never been out of bloom. 10^oF. or less.

‘San Carlos Festival’. Introduced several years ago by Yucca Do Nursery, this is an outstanding ornamental selection. It is a thick dome, 2-3' high and perhaps twice that in breadth, with broad, slightly grey-green leaves. The large magenta flowers decorate the plant much of the year. Probably 15^oF or less.

muelleri. Closely related to and generally resembling S. greggii (see above), this is a lower, more spreading shrub. I would estimate the size of the current selection at 3' x 6'+ at maturity. It has slender, closely branched stems and narrow 1-2" leaves. From spring to fall it is sprinkled with short clusters of beautiful violet blossoms. Probably hardy to 15^oF or less.

patens. An erect perennial, usually growing about 2’ tall. Both the stems and the broad 2-4" leaves are bright to deep green and softly hairy. Two-inch beak shaped blossoms, colored a bright true blue, are carried in loose clusters above the foliage in late summer. ‘Cambridge Blue’ has slightly paler leaves and beautiful sky-blue flowers. The most recent addition is ‘Lavender Lady’, with truly lavender flowers. Moderate to regular watering during the warmer months. The plants should be kept as dry as possible during winter to avoid rotting. Hardy to 20^oF. or below.

sinaloensis. This is a compact semishrub from Mexico, 2’ or less tall at maturity with slightly greater spread. Leaves are small and dark, with a strong purple tinge. Short clusters of deep blue flowers decorate the plants from early summer to fall. Hardiness is uncertain; assume 20-25^oF.

thymoides. A delightful little shrub, unfortunately a little touchy for the average gardener. It closely resembles S. chamaedryoides (see above), and is undoubtedly closely related. However, the plant is smaller overall (2' or less), and leaves and flowers are both considerably smaller. They present the same bright, blue-on-grey contrast, blooming most of the summer. Well drained soil is a must! 15-20^oF.