Re: Hi from L.A.--salvia question from the newcomer
- To: M*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: Re: Hi from L.A.--salvia question from the newcomer
- From: R* F* D*
- Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 00:26:20 -0400 (EDT)
At 04:54 PM 6/7/2000 -0700, you wrote:
>The detailed description given very closely fits Salvia 'Marischino' a S.
>microphylla cultivar that San Marcos Nursery has. I would call the stems
>striped, rather than black. It has intense Marischino red flowers and a
>strong minty scent to the leaves. It is one of my favorites.
>
>Jane
>Santa Barbara
>
>>At 086 PM 5/17/00 -0700, Laura Cooper wrote:
>>>I am happy to be signing on to the group, and hello to Sean especially! Nick
>>>and I enjoyed your visit to L.A. immensely, thank you for introducing us to
>>>the discussion group. Ever have any luck finding out what the Salvia with
>>>red greggi flowers (a tad larger) and long wandering almost black shiny
>>>stems is? You took some cuttings with, hope they rooted for you--
>>>happy matilija poppies,
>>>Laura Cooper
>>
>>Laura -
>>
>>Well, I finally got a chance to have a phone conversation with Betsy Clebsh
>>about this Salvia in your garden. She was able to tell what I was talking
>>about almost before I had completed my short description. The moment I
>>remarked that the stems were what was interesting, she knew immediately.
>>
>>For the group who is out of the loop with regard to this, Laura showed me
>>this large, bushy sage in her garden with deep, dark, wine-red stems that
>>have a narrow white line on each side, extending from the leaf node up to
>>the next node, to be started again 90o degrees from the first (following
>>the opposite arrangement of all Salvia foliage. A very intriguing effect
>>at close range!
>>
>>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.
>>
>>So, if you don't find a plantlet, and if I cannot manage the cuttings
>>again, I would have some sort of resource down here.
>>
>>We look forward to seeing you and Nick again in July!
>>Regards,
>>Sean O.
Sean's description is quite accurate for the plant I have had for about 14
years now for the Salvia microphylla from the Huntington. I think it was
collected by Fred Boutin. It is the least hardy microphylla, and its more
succulent habit betrays this. Its flowers are tinted more of a salmon shade,
with a distinct orangy tint to them.
The hardy microphyllas have much more wiry, woody stems, like most of their
greggii cousins. The plant that Jane mentions, if the description is
exactly like Sean's, is not `Maraschino', a quite different plant. The
latter is the first hybrid that I released to the trade, about 15 years ago.
It has true red flowers and the wiry stems of its parents, S. greggii
`Furman's Red' and the S. grahamii once offered by Far North Gardens.
If anyone is interested, I can send them a JPG scan of the two plants.
Richard F. Dufresne
313 Spur Road
Greensboro, North Carolina 27406 USA
336-674-3105
