Salvia involucrata 'Kathy'.....

Salvia karwinskii...

Salvia macrophylla Purple Leaf Form....though the flowers are not fully formed, I do like that the pic caught the purple coloring of the calyx and stem...

OK - this is not a Salvia, but a very closely related genus. Plectranthus neochillus, widespread in South Africa, even on the beaches. Tough as nails - sun, shade, drought, heat, salt water, browsing animals - this one can take it all. The leaves are beautiful and the flowers other-worldly. We're growing this for release in the Spring.

That's a stunning bloom! I love it.

All of the plecs are wonderful....I've not grown neochillus, but have heard lots of good things about it....

Hi everyone, I have just decided to add salvias in my outdoor garden, and I got two..
Salvia subrotunda


Salvia iodantha 'Mexican Fuschia Sage'


Just wondering how it grew in your gardens, watering, light etc. The Salvia subrotunda write-up I saw says hummingbirds love its blooms..and since hummies frequent my garden, I just had to add it in

Do you buy whole plants? I've been strurggling to establish some Salvias from seed since I started gardening 3-4 years ago. If any come back this spring, I will have succeeded.

I used to say that "I like a challenge", but now I look at your plants with envy.

The subrotunda will reseed for you. Iodantha I only have right now as small seedlings so I don't know how it will do here, but should do well. At least I think I still have seedlings out there, better go check. I got seeds from Robin and then lost them, found them much later after and was surprised they germinated after the flat had been neglected and dried out....it's been a hard year....lol..
Zone 7...are you on a Bay Area ridgetop, or in the digger pine belt? Aren't those both zone 7?

We are already outside of Bay Area, beyond the Altamont Pass. First time to grow these seedlings which we bought from a nursery in Richmond, CA (annies annuals). Today's drizzle will surely be good for this litte ones

Here's something amusing. This is a direct quote from the Weather Channel's website. Please note the last sentence. June 31????

Drought conditions have been growing across California this winter. As of late last week, 57 percent of the state was in moderate drought (light orange shading on map below).
Digging in a little deeper, you can see how dry it's been by looking at the rainfall statistics for a few cities during the current water year (water year runs from July 1 to June 31).

Maybe they live in a different California zone than the rest of us....one where the dates are variable...lol.

Right, Sherry! Some strange twilight zone where all the months have 31 days.

lol....I sure hope not...there are some times I'm asking if this month will never end....

I will admit that I still have to use..."Thirty days hath September...."

Salvia subrotunda is very tender, so be careful of cold nights. Even in the high 30s it starts to say, "I'm NOT happy". It grows for us very rapidly to six or eight feet, and is a hummer magnet. We won't even start to propagate these until April, as most folks can plant them in May/June and have a great plant in a month or so.

S. iodantha is highly variable from seed. We have grown out a large number and only a few are worthwhile, IMHO. We have a clone that is much better than average, but it took a lot of trying. The cultivar 'Louis Sasso' is truly fine, and quite distinct. Both of ours are in wildly full bloom now.

Such fun!

Kermit

Thanks Kermit! I did get the Salvia subrotunda to attract more of the hummies Will watch and see how these little babies will go.

Salvia urica is one of those lesser known gems that one finds in this genus. From Chiapas, Mexico, it blooms all winter in a sheltered spot here on California's North Coast. It stops everyone that walks by. The flowers are small but very numerous, and the leaves delightful.

I need to go out and see what is in full flower right now....
Ah, one of my favorites and so drought tolerant and tough..and BIG. This guy is about 6' x 6'.
Salvia africana (lutea).....
The africana is in a bed over by the nursery which is being let go and so I'm able to see exactly how dry it can get. This bed contains s.africana, s. africana 'Kirstenbosch', s. Anthony Parker, s. univerticillata, s. involucrata 'Kathy', s. leucantha, s. gesneriiflora 'Tequila', s. microphylla 'Honey Rose'...and a few others that I can't think of at the moment, but it will be interesting to see which can take the drier conditions...we're talking capital Dry here. I've also recently planted the africana lutea over in a bed closer to the house, so that if the big guy goes, I'll still have more started over here. Need to take more cuttings of the Kirstenbosch also. It grows to about 5' x 6' here and along with lutea, makes a substantial hedge.
Salvia africana lutea.......

The s. africana 'Kirstenbosch' is a handsome presence even when not in flower.....
This one is about 6' x 8'...

Various native salvias mixed in with romneya.These salvias will be flowering soon.They are on the far side of the property and get no supplemental water. I think I will be incorporating more of the natives over by the house where the plants requiring more water will be let go. I think I will just clear the beds as they die off and then possibly next fall plant natives in those beds.