Salvia microphylla -- alternating striped stem

Laura and group,
I was working in the garden this afternoon and noticed one of my 
red-flowered salvias has alternating striped stems, which reminded me 
of an interchange that you initiated earlier this year.  My salvia's 
label is long-gone but as I looked at it and re-read the emails, I 
realize that mine is one of the Salvia microphyllas you saw in your 
neighbor's garden.

Is anyone looking for this salvia right now?  My bush is huge (2.5 
feet tall and at least 4 or 5 ft spread) and I'd be happy to share 
some.

Nan

>
>  >This is a form of Salvia microphylla (grahamii) that Huntington brought
>>back from Belize in the 60s or 70s.  It can grow pretty tall, about 4-6ft,
>>and as wide.  It differs from the many other S. microphyllas in the trade
>>in blooming more or less all year round, and being more frost tender
>>(though apparently perfectly hardy down in So. California where you
>>are).  S. microphylla is closely related to S. greggii and its group, but
>>tend to become bushier and denser in growth over time.  This one seems to
>>attain a large size and should be given lots of room.
>>
>>Betsy says she does not grow this plant at the moment, but there are some
>>still around.  I managed to find a photo at Monterey Bay Nursery's web site
>>that shows the stems faintly in the background in the upper left hand corner:
>>http://www.plantpictures.com/S/salvmbl1.jpg
>>(group - In this picture, it almost looks like reflected light off the
>>stem, but they really do have these white stripes.)  Luen (of Monterey Bay
>>Nursery) calls this S. microphylla 'Belize form', which is an acceptable
>>name based upon Betsy, who also mentions this form in her book, A Book of
>Salvias.

-- 
**********
'''''''''''''''''''''''
Nan Sterman
San Diego County California
Sunset zone 24, USDA hardiness zone 10b or 11
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index