Lamiaceae: Mint Family — Salvia and other sages
Pitcher Sage – Lepechinia calycina
Blooms:
Apr–June
Plant Height:
1–2 m
Flower Size:
Large
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Chaparral
Notes:
A largish shrub, this has leaves that are similar to Black Sage (Salvia mellifera), but the pendulous flowers, generally pale lavender but sometimes white, are distinctive. Note how the four-lobed upper lip is rolled back and the lower lip more extended. Very aromatic, like most sages.
Thistle Sage – Salvia carduacea
Blooms:
Mar–May
Plant Height:
1–10 dm
Flower Size:
Small cluster
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Sandy & gravelly places, interior
Notes:
An uncommon sage, found in the interior in the southern parts of the county, this is aptly named for its thistle-like, white-woolly leaves which are wavy-edged with short spines. Individual flowers are lavender, 25–35 mm with a fringed lower lip. Calyx lobes are, like the leaves, woolly and spiny.
Chia – Salvia columbariae
Blooms:
Mar–June
Plant Height:
1–5 dm
Flower Size:
Small cluster
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Dry, sandy & gravelly places
Notes:
Chia produces vivid blue flowers in whorls on reddish-brown heads. It is often found in profusion. The leaves are coarse and pinnately lobed but not woolly or spiny. The seeds are highly prized for their nutritional qualities.
Black Sage – Salvia mellifera
Blooms:
Mar–June
Plant Height:
10–25 dm
Flower Size:
Medium cluster
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Scrub & chaparral
Notes:
A very common sage, this has obovate-elliptic to obovate leaves which are highly aromatic. The white flowers, which quickly turn brown on the margins, are in whorled clusters separated by abut 2–3 cm of stem. The common name derives from the dark appearance of the spent flower clusters after they have set seed.
Creeping Sage – Salvia sonomensis
Blooms:
Mar–June
Plant Height:
1–4 dm
Flower Size:
Small cluster
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Dry slopes in chaparral and woodland
Notes:
This is a prostrate, mat-forming sub-shrub with leafless flowering stems. Flowers are in 5–8 whorls, 1–1.5 cm across. The distinctive fringed lower lip of the blue to violet flowers is generally more than 2 × the upper. Leaves are 3–6 cm, puckered, elliptic to ovate and with minute teeth.
Crimson / California Hummingbird Sage – Salvia spathacea
Blooms:
Mar–May
Plant Height:
3–7 dm
Flower Size:
Medium cluster
Origin:
Native
Habitat:
Dry slopes in chaparral and woodland
Notes:
Unmistakable, with its purplish-red, tubular, 2-lipped flowers with long exserted stigma and stamens. The flowers are in 3–6 whorls towards the top of the flower spike. Leaves are 10–20 cm, wrinkled, opposite and arrow-shaped with rounded teeth on the margins, woolly underneath. Bracts are oval and the stem varies from green to purplish-bronze.
