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.
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 15-20oF., resprouting after the tops are killed to the ground.
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 0oF.
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.
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. 10oF. or less.
regla ‘Huntington’. A tough, hardy Texan with several ornamental features. This selection grows around 3' tall and spreads to at least 6'. It has bright green, profusely branched stems and rounded, deeply textured leaves. It blooms much of the year, though the heaviest displays come in spring and fall. Large, orange-red blossoms are carried in short clusters at each shoot tip. After each flower has fallen the reddish calyx left behind maintains a flower-like appearance for several weeks. Selected at the Huntington Botanical Garden. Tolerant of many soils, drought and temperatures to 10oF or less.
roemeriana. A Texas native, unlike any of our other salvias in habit. It clumps tightly at the base, forming many low crowns of soft heart shaped leaves. Slender, branched 1' flower stems rise almost continuously, from early spring to fall, each displaying many tubular scarlet blossoms. Shearing off spent flower stems improves the show. Sun or part shade, moderate to occasional watering. Hardy to 10oF or less.
sclarea—tricolor form. Clary sage. While hundreds of sages have had at least momentary stardom in the last couple of decades, others equally deserving have been all but ignored. This is one of the second group, so I will have to shout its virtues. It spends its first year or two as a low crown of furry grey-green leaves, often with pink-tinged stalks, each up to 8" long. Then it begins to grow and branch, with furry stalks that can reach 3’ or more. All along these are buds with large bracts, marked with cream and lavender-pink. The flowers themselves, when they open, are over an inch long and light blue and white in color. The show goes on for weeks or months. Cutting the stems before seeds are set can preserve the plants for another year or two; otherwise, they may die from their massive effort, self-seeding for future generations in the process. Hardy to 0oF. or less. So why don’t you have one?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. 15oF or less.
spathacea ‘Kawatre’. An unusual native perennial, in this case from the Santa Lucia Mountains. It forms broad, dense clumps with arrow shaped, interestingly textured 6-8" leaves clustered at the base. Leafy 2’ stems appear in spring and fall, carrying large interrupted ball shaped clusters of 2" blossoms which are deep magenta on opening, changing to orange-red. A recent addition from the wild, even more robust and with generally darker flowers, is ‘King Crimson’. All parts of the plant are strongly and pleasantly aromatic. Tolerates some shade. Moderate to no watering. Probably 5-10oF.