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| Category: Perennial |
| Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae) (Mints) |
| Origin: Afghanistan (Asia) |
| Flower Color: Pink |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Summer |
| Height: 2-3 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 15-20° F |
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Phlomis cashmeriana (Kashmir Sage) - This is a robust selection that grows to 2 feet tall and spread out to form a wide mass 10 feet or more with densely woolly stems that hold 8 inch long leaves that are broadly rounded at the base and pointed at the tip with a scalloped margin and downy undersides (canescent). The large pale lilac-pink flowers bloom in the spring and summer. Plant in full sun to light shade. Drought tolerant and quite cold tolerant – has weathered without any damage our January 2007 cold spell with three nights of 25° F and likely would tolerate temperatures considerably lower. There are two distinctly different plants called Phlomis cashmeriana that are circulating in the California nursery trade. Our plants are grown from seed that we received from the Bordeaux Botanic Garden in 1992 (Seed lot #1092-1989). In 2001 we received seed from SeedHunt that has produced a very different plant which we will list as Phlomis cashmeriana 'Seedhunt Selection'. It also has large clusters of pink flowers but is more perennial in nature with smaller and narrower foliage that is very dark gray-green above and white on the underside with a denser covering of stellate hairs than our other form. Both plants are very attractive although our original form seems more vigorous in the garden. The difference between these plants has us questioning the original identification of the Bordeaux Botanic Garden with the thought our plant might possibly be Phlomis samia, another soft pink flowering plant that is shrubby or perhaps is a hybrid. Whatever the proper identification of this plant is, it is very nice and since we have sold this plant this long, we think it might be more confusing to our customers to change it and so have left the listing as Phlomis cashmeriana but make note here on our web listing that this may be incorrect. 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.
This information about Phlomis cashmeriana displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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