Salvia pentstemonoides
Encyclopedia
Salvia pentstemonoides (Big red sage) is a herbaceous perennial that is rare in nature and native to only a few locations in Texas, including the Edwards Plateau
. The plant remains endangered due to destruction of habitat and browsing by deer. A severe drought in the 1950s may have contributed to its decline.
Big red sage was thought to be extinct beginning around 1946, until it was rediscovered by botanist Marshall Enquist in 1980 while shooting pictures for his Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country. At first, Enquist didn't realize he had taken a photo of an 'extinct' plant. He identified it as Salvia pentstemonoides from a guide book which didn't state that the plant was considered extinct. Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country was finally published in 1987, without S. pentstemonoides. That year, Enquist began thinking about adding some more wildflowers—including S. pentstemonoides—to a second edition. While inquiring about the plant, he was surprised to learn that it had been considered extinct for many years. In 1988, Enquist received the Donovan Stewart Correll Memorial Award from the Native Plant Society of Texas
for his rediscovery of Salvia pentstemonoides.
, who sent a sample to botanist George Engelmann
. Engelmann sent it to Carl Sigismund Kunth
and Peter Karl Bouché in Germany, who first published and named the plant in 1848. It was also documented growing along Salado Creek
in San Antonio in 1849. The specific epithet pentstemonoides is frequently misspelled as "penstemonoides". The plant was originally named after an early spelling of Penstemon
by Carl Linnaeus that added an extra "t". Since it was first described and named as "pentstemonoides", that spelling is considered the correct one. As the name suggests, the plant resembles penstemon.
In cultivation, Salvia pentstemonoides likes fast-draining soil with limestone or ground oystershells added. It prefers morning sun with high shade, but grows well in full sun in areas of high humidity. Deep weekly watering is also preferred. The plant is hardy to about 20 °F (-6.7 °C) and easily propagated by seed; propagation through cuttings is possible and clumps can be divided provided it's done with care. It is very attractive to hummingbirds.
Edwards Plateau
The Edwards Plateau is a region of west-central Texas which is bounded by the Balcones Fault to the south and east, the Llano Uplift and the Llano Estacado to the north, and the Pecos River and Chihuahuan Desert to the west. San Angelo, Austin, San Antonio and Del Rio roughly outline the area...
. The plant remains endangered due to destruction of habitat and browsing by deer. A severe drought in the 1950s may have contributed to its decline.
Big red sage was thought to be extinct beginning around 1946, until it was rediscovered by botanist Marshall Enquist in 1980 while shooting pictures for his Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country. At first, Enquist didn't realize he had taken a photo of an 'extinct' plant. He identified it as Salvia pentstemonoides from a guide book which didn't state that the plant was considered extinct. Wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country was finally published in 1987, without S. pentstemonoides. That year, Enquist began thinking about adding some more wildflowers—including S. pentstemonoides—to a second edition. While inquiring about the plant, he was surprised to learn that it had been considered extinct for many years. In 1988, Enquist received the Donovan Stewart Correll Memorial Award from the Native Plant Society of Texas
Native Plant Society of Texas
The Native Plant Society of Texas is a Texas not-for-profit organization that promotes the conservation, research and utilization of the native plants and plant habitats of Texas through education, outreach and example...
for his rediscovery of Salvia pentstemonoides.
History and taxonomy
The first written account of the plant was in 1845, when it was collected by botanist Ferdinand LindheimerFerdinand Lindheimer
Ferdinand Jacob Lindheimer was a German Texan botanist who spent his working life on the American frontier. In 1936, Recorded Texas Historic Landmark number 1590 was placed on Lindheimer's grave.-Early life:...
, who sent a sample to botanist George Engelmann
George Engelmann
George Engelmann, also known as Georg Engelmann, was a German-American botanist. He was instrumental in describing the flora of the west of North America, then very poorly-known; he was particularly active in the Rocky Mountains and northern Mexico.-Origins:George Engelmann was born in Frankfurt...
. Engelmann sent it to Carl Sigismund Kunth
Carl Sigismund Kunth
Carl Sigismund Kunth , also Karl Sigismund Kunth or anglicized as Charles Sigismund Kunth, was a German botanist...
and Peter Karl Bouché in Germany, who first published and named the plant in 1848. It was also documented growing along Salado Creek
Salado Creek
Salado Creek is a waterway in San Antonio that runs from Northern Bexar County for about to the San Antonio River near Buena Vista.-Watershed:...
in San Antonio in 1849. The specific epithet pentstemonoides is frequently misspelled as "penstemonoides". The plant was originally named after an early spelling of Penstemon
Penstemon
Penstemon , Beard-tongue, is a large genus of North American and East Asian plants traditionally placed in the Scrophulariaceae family. Due to new genetic research, it has now been placed in the vastly expanded family Plantaginaceae...
by Carl Linnaeus that added an extra "t". Since it was first described and named as "pentstemonoides", that spelling is considered the correct one. As the name suggests, the plant resembles penstemon.
Description
Salvia pentstemonoides typically grows in limestone rock along seeps or creeks, reaching up to 5 feet tall with square stems, often with long basal leaves in addition to opposite cauline leaves. The leaves are mistletoe-green colored, lancelike in shape, growing in a basal rosette. Numerous flowering stalks grow from the rosette, with inflorescences that are 8-12 inches long, having whorls of loosely packed flowers. The 1 inch flowers are beetroot-purple colored, with a .5 inch calyx that is the color of red wine. The leaves give off a lemon-lime scent when brushed or rubbed, and are edible, like many red-flowered salvias.In cultivation, Salvia pentstemonoides likes fast-draining soil with limestone or ground oystershells added. It prefers morning sun with high shade, but grows well in full sun in areas of high humidity. Deep weekly watering is also preferred. The plant is hardy to about 20 °F (-6.7 °C) and easily propagated by seed; propagation through cuttings is possible and clumps can be divided provided it's done with care. It is very attractive to hummingbirds.