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.

forskaohlei. This seems to be the current name for plants previously listed as S. hians. For some reason, the plants show little interest in the change. These are, as always, robust perennials with basal crowns of roughly heart shaped, blunt-tipped, furry leaves up to 8" long. In summer they send up branched 2’ stems carrying long clusters of showy violet flowers, marked with white. Moderate to occasional watering. About 0^oF.

nemorosa. Europe to central Asia. A hardy species with branched leafy stems up to 3’ high (less in most cultivars and hybrids). The leaves are oval to lance-shaped, dark green to grey-green and hairy. Small, usually purple flowers are clustered on long branched stalks at the shoot tips. It has been hybridized extensively to give us the S. x superba series described below. ‘Plumosa’ is claimed to belong to the species itself. It has compact clumps of 2’ stems with grey-green leaves and large, dense clusters of rosy purple bracts.

x superba. A bushy perennial up to 2' tall, with distinctly angled grey-green stems and pointed-oval, heavily textured dark green leaves. In the cultivar `Compacta’, 6-10" spikes of glowing purple blossoms create a massive display in late spring and summer. ‘Rose Queen’ puts on a similar show with blossoms between rose and burgundy in color. ‘May Night’ is a more robust plant, quickly making clumps up to 2' across. It has large, dark green leaves and masses of flowers on branched 12" stalks. Moderate watering. 0^oF or below.