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Products > Phlomis purpurea ssp. caballeroi
 
Phlomis purpurea ssp. caballeroi - Pink Moroccan Sage

Note: This plant is no longer in stock. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.  
Image of Phlomis purpurea ssp. caballeroi
[2nd Image]
Habit and Cultural Information
Category: Shrub
Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae) (Mints)
Origin: Italy (Europe)
Evergreen: Yes
Flower Color: Light Lavender
Bloomtime: Spring
Synonyms: [P. purpurea ssp. caballeroi ]
Height: 4-6 feet
Width: 3-4 feet
Exposure: Full Sun
Summer Dry: Yes
Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs
Winter Hardiness: 15-20° F
Phlomis purpurea ssp. caballeroi (Pink Moroccan Sage) - An attractive shrub to 4 to 6 feet tall with 2 to 3 inch long lanceolate yellow-green leaves that are covered with short soft golden hairs on the upper surface and sliver-gray hairs below. The flowers in whorls of 6 to 8 are two-toned, the nearly white soft pink upper lip is hairy, and the lower lilac purple lip is nearly glabrous.

Plant in a sunny location in soils of low to moderate fertility that drain well. Will also grow in light shade. This tough plant doesn't require much if any irrigation once established in coastal conditions; will require an occasional watering inland. We have never had any cold damage to this plant, and it should be hardy to at least 15° F.

To our eye Phlomis purpurea ssp. caballeroi more closely similar to Phlomis italica, though it is now listed as a subspecies of Phlomis purpurea. It has been noted as being from Alicante in Spain, Morocco and Algeria though its existence in Spain has never been verified. This plant was originally described in 1918 by Spanish botanist Carlos Pau Espaņol but was merged with Phlomis purpurea by fellow Spaniards Oriol de Bolōs and Josep Vigo Bonada in 1983. The name for the genus dates back to the first century AD from the Greek physician Dioscorides use of the word to describe some plants in the genus and it thought to originate from the Greek word meaning "flame" because the leaves of some species were used for lamp wicks. The specific epithet refers to the typical flower color.

We first grew this plant from seed received in 1992 from the Jardin Bontanique, Nice in France as Phlomis caballeroi. 

The information displayed on this page about Phlomis purpurea ssp. caballeroi is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.

 
We closed for regular business at the end of 2025 in order for the property to be developed for affordable housing.
Our gates remain closed but we will open them by appointment to interested parties through August 21st to liquidate remaining plants, supplies and equipment.
The plants remaining in the field are listed on our
Live Inventory Page.
 
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