Salvia mexicana

Salvia mexicana (Mexican sage) is a herbaceous shrubby perennial native to a wide area of central Mexico, growing at elevations from 2,600 to 8,500 feet (800 to 2,600 metres). It grows in tropical areas in the south and arid subtropical habitats in the north, often at the edges of forests. Salvia mexicana grows 3 to 9 feet (0.9 to 2.7 metres) tall and 3 to 4 feet (0.9 to 1.2 metres) wide in cultivation, with leaves ranging from mid-green and glabrous, to gray green with short hairs. The inflorescences also vary, in length and in size of flower. The color of flowers and calyces range from midnight-purple to purple-blue. The flowers bloom in late summer, in whorls that are produced abundantly for several months. The earliest records of Salvia mexicana in horticulture are beginning in the 1970s at several botanical gardens. One popular cultivar is 'Limelight' (pictured at right), collected in the state of Querétaro, which has violet-blue flowers with large chartreuse-green calyces. 'Lollie Jackson' is a compact cultivar; 'Ocampo' is an upright cultivar growing to 7 feet (2 metres) — both are commonly sold in nurseries.

Description

A tropical herb in the mint family (Lamiaceae).

This description is brief — help expand it

Edible Uses

The seeds are used to make a drink.

Traditional Uses

The seeds are used to make a drink.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Distribution

It is a tropical plant.

Where It Grows

Australia, Mexico*, Tasmania,

Synonyms

Also Known As

Azul-sipari, Chantlaco, Charahuesca, Ichukuta, Tacote, Tapachichi, Tlacote

References (1)

• Kermath, B. M., et al, 2014, Food Plants in the Americas: A survey of the domesticated, cultivated and wild plants used for Human food in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean. On line draft. p 780

More from Lamiaceae

Hedeoma drummondii

Drummond's falsepennyroyal

Hedeoma nana

False pennyroyal

Hedeoma patens

Mapa

Hedeoma pulegioides

American Pennyroyal, Squaw mint

Hyptis capitata

Knobweed

Hyptis multiflora