General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Shrub
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 9a -6.7 °C (20 °F) to -3.9 °C (25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 11
Plant Height: 18 inches
Plant Spread: 18 inches
Leaves: Unusual foliage color
Fragrant
Other: Gray-green
Flowers: Showy
Flower Color: Blue
Flower Time: Late spring or early summer
Uses: Suitable as Annual
Containers: Suitable in 3 gallon or larger
Needs excellent drainage in pots
Miscellaneous: Endangered
Conservation status: Critically Endangered (CR)

Conservation status:
Conservation status: Critically Endangered
Image
Common names
  • Cayman Island Sage
  • Salvia
  • Cayman Sage

Cayman Island Sage (Salvia caymanensis) was a featured
Plant of the Day for April 28, 2016.
Photo Gallery
Location: South Miami, Florida, USA
Date: 2008-04-14
Photo courtesy of: scottzona
Location: South Miami, Florida, USA. This species was thought to be extinct but was rediscovered recently. Seeds were sent to me from the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, Cayman Islands.
Date: 2008-04-22
Photo courtesy of: scottzona
Location: Biological Sciences greenhouses, Florida International University campus, Miami, FL USA
Date: 2008-09-08
Photo courtesy of: scottzona
Comments:
  • Posted by Marilyn (Kentucky - Zone 6a) on May 29, 2013 9:34 PM concerning plant:
    "Salvia caymanensis (Cayman Sage) is a short-lived perennial plant in the genus Salvia that is endemic to Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands. It was thought to be extinct for nearly 40 years until it was rediscovered in 2007. After the damage caused by Hurricane Ivan in 2004, conservationists thought that conditions might be ideal for the reappearance of Salvia caymanensis if there was still viable seed in the wild. A wanted poster, offering a 1000 CI$ reward, led to the discovery of the first plants seen since 1967.

    Salvia caymanensis grows 20 to 39 inches tall. The strictly erect stem is canescent above and woody below. The ovate-lanceolate leaves 0.98 to 1.2 inches long and a 0.39 to 0.55 inch wide. The leaves are pale and tomentose on the underside and pilose and dark green on the upperside. The petioles are one-fourth the length of the blade.

    In spring 2007 the Department of Environment of the Cayman Islands in cooperation with the Darwin Initiative, placed wanted posters on the island offering a reward of 1000 CI$ for any living examples of Cayman Sage. The posters were timed to anticipate the usual flowering season of the plant. An island resident, slowed down by road work on the typically fast-moving Queen's Highway, saw the inconspicuous blue flowers from her car window, growing near the side of the road. After the initial discovery, 300 individual plants were found and approximately 18,000 seeds collected."

    Taken from wikipedia's page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...

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