Web Site Search Plant Database Search by Plant Name   General Plant Info Search for any word   Advanced Search >> Search by size, origins, color, cultural needs, etc. Site Map Retail Locator Plant Listings PLANT TYPE PLANT GEOGRAPHY PLANT INDEX ALL PLANT LIST PLANT IMAGE INDEX PLANT INTROS SPECIALTY CROPS NEW  2009 PLANTS PRIME LIST>   for NOVEMBER  Weather Station

Products > Salvia leucantha 'Santa Barbara' PP12,949   Salvia leucantha 'Santa Barbara' PP12,949 - Santa Barbara Sage    [2nd Image] Habit and Cultural Information Category: Shrub Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae) (Mints) Origin: Mexico (North America) Evergreen: Yes Flower Color: Violet Bloomtime: Year-round Synonyms: [Salvia leucantha 'KAB'] Height: 2-3 feet Width: 2-4 feet Exposure: Full Sun Drought Tolerant: Yes Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs Winter Hardiness: 15-20° F Salvia leucantha 'Santa Barbara' PP12,949 (Santa Barbara Sage) - A quick growing arching shrub that can reach 2-3 feet tall by 4-6 feet wide. New branch growth is covered with woolly white hairs. The leaves are gray-green, narrow and long. The flowers are composed of velvety purple calyces flowers with an extended rose-lavender, emerge from the branch tips almost year-round along the coast; peak bloom period is spring through early fall. The flowers contrast nicely against the white stems of the inflorescence. This is a compact form of the Mexican Sage found in the Santa Barbara garden of Kathiann Brown. This cultivar is noted for its compact growth, about half the size of the species. It also differs from Salvia leucantha in having flowers that are pale violet compared to the white flowers of the species. The cultivar 'Midnight' is not as compact and has dark viloet flowers. It has been noted that this cultivar more readily initiates new shoots from the base, even in containers. The mature size and spread after 2 years in the garden is 2 feet 6 inches tall in bloom by 4 feet wide; a vast improvement over the rangy growth typical of other Mexican sage cultivars. Like other Mexican sage this plant likes full sun to light shade and is moderately drought tolerant. In our coastal gardens where this plant is evergreen we cut it back annually in early spring to maintain best appearance. This plant received Plant Patent 12,949 on September 10, 2002 and is being marketed worldwide by PlantHaven, Inc.  The description above is based on our research and observations of this plant growing in our nursery and in our own and other Santa Barbara gardens. We would appreciate hearing from anyone who has additional information or disagrees with what we have written.     [MORE INFO]