Re: Salvia mellifera

K1MIZE@aol.com writes:
> The sage chaparral was almost monocultural, with only 
>occasional specimens of Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Coyote Brush 
>(Baccharis pilularis), Yerba Santa (Eriodyction californicum), and
>Juniper 
>(Juniperus californica). 

I remember one such place out in the back country of Ft. Ord. I rememberr
that the place had been burned at least a year ago, and all that was
growing on the hillside was S. melifera. What i was to do was to collect
seeds. An easy thing because we just broke off the stems of the former
flowers or we just shook the seed into a paper bag.Unfortunately all kinds
of insects were in the seed pods (for lack of a better word!)

> On a warm, still day, the fragrance of the aromatic 
>plants must be intoxicating.

For me it was almost nauseating =). It was so strong because the heat of
the day that i came back smelling like S. mellifera the entire day.

>  The Salvia forms rounded, evergreen shrubs 1-2 
>m in height.  The flowers aren't particularly showy, being smallish and
>pale 
>lavender in color.  

Since this was the end of summer they had already flowered and set seed.
BUT at my Uni's Watershed Institute, their S. melliferas are blooming
right now.

>The plants were growing primarily on steep (and 
>presumably well-drained) hillsides in an area that receives ~15 inches of 
>rain per year, all during the winter months.  

The ones i was collecting seed from were also on a steep hillside. There
were no other plants growing with these.


>The leaves are a dark, 
>spinach-y green and very leathery and rugose, with a pleasant sage smell
>when 
>crushed. 

I remember the ones i saw also had quite a few yellow leaves. In fact most
of the plants here have a yellow leaf or two. I think it gives the plant
some interest.
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