Salvia clevelandii
Encyclopedia
Salvia clevelandii is a perennial plant
that is native to Southern California and northern Baja California, growing below 900 m (2,952.8 ft) elevation in California coastal sage and chaparral habitat.
, honoring Daniel Cleveland, a plant collector.
and rugose
, growing less than 2.5 cm (0.984251968503937 in) long. Flowers are on 30 cm (11.8 in) spikes, with numerous whorls of upright amethyst blooms opening in June–July.
Cultivars and hybrids include:
Salvia clevelandii is one of the parents of the hybrid Salvia 'Celestial Blue'
.
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
that is native to Southern California and northern Baja California, growing below 900 m (2,952.8 ft) elevation in California coastal sage and chaparral habitat.
Taxonomy
The plant was named in 1874 by Asa GrayAsa Gray
-References:*Asa Gray. Dictionary of American Biography. American Council of Learned Societies, 1928–1936.*Asa Gray. Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd ed. 17 Vols. Gale Research, 1998.*Asa Gray. Plant Sciences. 4 vols. Macmillan Reference USA, 2001....
, honoring Daniel Cleveland, a plant collector.
Description
Salvia clevelandii is an evergreen shrub that reaches 1 to 1.5 m (3.3 to 4.9 ft) in height and width. The fragrant, ashy green leaves are obovateLeaf shape
In botany, leaf shape is characterised with the following terms :* Acicular : Slender and pointed, needle-like* Acuminate : Tapering to a long point...
and rugose
Rugose
Rugose means "wrinkled". It may refer to:*Idiosoma nigrum, more commonly, a black rugose trapdoor spider*Rugosa, an extinct order of coral, whose rugose shape earned it the name...
, growing less than 2.5 cm (0.984251968503937 in) long. Flowers are on 30 cm (11.8 in) spikes, with numerous whorls of upright amethyst blooms opening in June–July.
Cultivation
Salvia clevelandii is a popular California landscape plant, cultivated since the 1940s. Plants prefer dry summers, good drainage, and full sun, with a relatively short life span of five to ten years. They are hardy to -7 °C.Cultivars and hybrids include:
- 'Winnifred Gilman' is a popular cultivar with intense violet-blue flowers.
- 'Betsy Clebsch', a shorter cultivar with wide variation in flower color.
- 'Allen Chickering', 'Aromas', 'Pozo Blue', 'Santa Cruz Dark', and 'Whirly Blue' are hybrids with similar appearance.
Salvia clevelandii is one of the parents of the hybrid Salvia 'Celestial Blue'
Salvia 'Celestial Blue'
Salvia 'Celestial Blue , is a hybrid cross between Salvia clevelandii and S. pachyphylla , and possibly involving Salvia 'Pozo Blue' — which is itself a cross between S. clevelandii and S. leucophylla...
.