(Golden Leaf Sage) A tinge of gold in its fuzzy, pebbled foliage gives Salvia chrysophylla its common name. Abundant, long blooming lavender flowers with pale cream lower lips make it stand out in the landscape.
However, it's the powerful health potential of this pretty plant that is bringing attention its way. Golden Leaf Sage contains essential oils that are the focus of scientific research about controlling bacterial microorganisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus -- a pathogen that causes problems ranging from skin infections and toxic shock syndrome to food poisoning.
One possible use for this sage's oils may be to improve food preservation by reducing bacterial growth and oxidation. In Turkey, Golden Leaf Sage has also been used historically as a folk treatment for rheumatism.
It's likely that this sage's oils are what it unpalatable for deer.
Native to limestone slopes and meadows in Southwest Turkey, this full sun Mediterranean sage grows in the wild at altitudes from about 4200 to 7500 feet.
S. chrysophylla is a short perennial that tolerates cold, heat and drought. Similar to many rock garden plants, it prefers well-drained scree mixed with a bit of loam. So amend your soil if it isn't already gravelly.
Although not listed as an endangered species, this sage certainly is rare in American Salvia gardens. Kew Royal Botanic Gardens indicates that it was first published in 1885 in the Viennese publication Denkschriften Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften (Memorandum of the Imperial Academy of Sciences).
Here are some guidelines for success with this plant in your garden.
Click on an individual icon for more detailed information.
Exposure
Full Sun
This plant needs or tolerates more than six hours of intense sunlight daily. Many Salvias only thrive in wide-open locations where they receive long hours of full sun. However, full-sun species sometimes tolerate a bit of partial shade. Or a Salvia that loves partial shade may be amenable to spending part of its time in full sun.
In general, this sun/shade adaptability shows up in Salvias that do best in cooler climates when grown in full sun and thrive in hot climates when partial shade is available. So full-sun Salvias sometimes are also categorized as partial-shade plants and vice versa.
Full sun
Heat Tolerant
This plant can handle extreme heat.
Full-sun Salvias that don’t like any shade are among the most heat tolerant. Heat-loving Salvias also are often drought tolerant. Moisture-conserving features, such as fuzzy leaves, help them stay perky at high temperatures.
Heat-tolerant Salvias are fine choices for western and southern exposures.
Heat tolerant
Growing Habit
Zone(s) 6 - 9
Plant hardiness Zones defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture tell you the minimum temperatures a plant can withstand in your garden. The USDA divides the nation into winter climate areas from coldest (Zone 1) to warmest (Zone 11).
However, it is sometimes possible to grow a Zone 6 Salvia as a perennial in Zone 5 if you provide preferential care, such as winter mulching and a location sheltered from harsh winds. In contrast, a Zone 9 Salvia may act like a perennial in Zone 10 if given a bit of shade or extra water.
6 - 9
12 inches tall
To create a harmonious landscape plan, it is important to consider the heights of individual plants.
Height also affects function. Short Salvias often make excellent ground covers that conserve soil moisture and discourage weeds while also brightening your yard. Medium-height Salvias, such as ones 36 inches tall, often are ideal border plants. A tall Salvia planted singly can highlight a landscape; multiple plantings can form an attractive screen.
12 inches tall
18 inches wide
By considering the width of a plant, you can determine how many to place in a row or what other plants to grow with it.
For example, a narrow, moderate-height Salvia may look good interplanted with bushier species, kind of like Mutt and Jeff.
In contrast, wide-spreading Salvias are economical for hiding lengths of wall and fence or for creating hedge-like divisions in a yard.
18 inches wide
Perennial
Plant this herbaceous species in the USDA Zones where it grows as a perennial, returning year after year.
After dying back to the ground at frost, herbaceous perennials emerge in the Spring with soft, new growth. A Salvia that is perennial in one region, may be an annual in another depending on local conditions, such as winter temperatures.
If you live in USDA Zone 5, for example, Salvias in our catalog cited as growing well in Zone 5 or lower will be perennial. Those cited as doing well in Zones 6 or higher may do well in Zone 5, but generally will act like annuals coming back from seed instead of the parent plant’s roots.
Perennial
Water Needs
Average
This plant needs regular watering based on what is appropriate to your local conditions.
In some extremely hot, arid climates, this may mean daily watering in Summer. Although many drought-resistant Salvias survive on little to no watering due to local rainfall and deep roots meeting their moisture needs, others need regular doses. The size and frequency of the dose depends on your climate.
Average water
Drought
In the right locale, this plant survives and thrives despite minimal summer water.
Drought resistance is an important characteristic of xeriscapic – dry landscape – plants, a category that includes a multitude of Salvias. Many low-water Salvias are native to parts of the world with little rainfall all year or regions where summers are dry and winters are wet.
Nevertheless, there are also drought-resistant Salvias for places such as Florida where winters are dry and summers are wet.
Drought resistant
Blooming Season
Spring
This plant reaches peak bloom during Spring or flowers for much of the season.
However, it may begin flowering sooner. Some Spring-blooming Salvias begin flowering in Winter; others start in Spring, keep producing color through summer and may continue on into autumn and first frost. Still others flower only in Spring.
There is a great deal of overlap in blooming seasons for Salvias.
Spring blooming
Summer
This plant reaches peak bloom in Summer or flowers for much of the season.
Lots of Summer bloomers start flowering in Spring; others begin in Summer and keep up the show of color until frost.
There is a great deal of overlap in blooming seasons for Salvias.
Summer blooming
Wildlife
Deer
Unless local forage is in short supply, most deer likely will avoid this plant.
It appears that deer dislike Salvias, in general, due to their volatile oils that make the plants so fragrant and savory in cooking. However, the only completely deer-proof plants are the ones grown beyond reach.
Deer resistant
Salvias and their companion plants pop with color. Sweep your eyes from top to the bottom here for an impression of this plant's color combinations. The first row displays blossoms from primary to less dominant shades and includes any contrasting throat color. The second tier is the main hue of leaf-like bracts or calyxes supporting the flowers. Foliage (one or two colors) leafs out in the bottom row.
Primary color - Brilliant Violet
RHS# 86D
Secondary color - Very Pale Purple
RHS# 85D
Throat color - Yellowish white - RHS# 155D
Tertiary color - Brownish Orange
RHS# 166C
Bract color - Moderate Yellowish Green
RHS# 138B
Leaf color - Moderate Yellowish Green
RHS# 146D
Learn more about how we analyze plant colors
About our Color Display
We based our analysis of this plant’s floral and foliar color on the internationally standardized color system published by the U.K.’s Royal Horticultural Society. Called the RHS Large Colour Charts, this publication is a boxed set of color swatches arranged in fans and containing all the colors that RHS has identified in horticulture. RHS gives each color a common name and code number.
Each swatch has a small hole punched into it. We place the swatch over a flower petal and compare the blossom’s color to that of the card. When using RHS colors to compare plants that you want to combine in a flowerbed, in bouquets or in some other manner, RHS says to view them indoors in north light. If you are matching our digital swatches to flowers already in your garden, pluck two or three fully open blossoms of each plant that requires analysis.
You may find that the plant you receive from FBTS varies somewhat in color from what appears in our color analysis or our photograph due to a number of factors, including:
- Variations in photographic colors based on lighting level at different times of day
- Differences in the resolution of digital screens
- Seasonal changes in plant color due to changes in temperature and plant cycle and
- pH or soil chemistry that varies from one locale to another and causes color shifts.
Finally, RHS notes that you shouldn’t attempt color matching when your eyes are fatigued.
Drought Praise: 5 Blue-Tag Beauties for Dry Gardens
Posted: Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Synopsis: If you live in a semi-arid climate where rain is a vague memory and the soil is crunchy with gravel, you may find yourself praising the color and resilience of blue-tag plants from Flowers by the Sea. Not all of our drought tolerant plants fall into the blue-tag category. Yet ones that do are extremely capable at surviving with little water. FBTS explains plant care and offers five favorite drought-resistant species.
Read the Article