Salvia scabra

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Salvia scabra (coastal blue sage) is a herbaceous perennial native to the southeastern coast of the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa. It grows on sandy shores, coastal brush, and on hills up to about 600 feet in elevation. Carl Thunberg described and named the species in 1800. Leaves and root extracts have long been used for medicinal purposes in its native region.

This plant is very adaptable and was introduced to California gardens around 1996, later spreading to gardens in England, France, and Italy. In the wild it can reach about 3 feet tall; in cultivation it is typically around 1.5 feet tall. It develops pale brown, woody stems that are round and slightly hairy. The leaves are lyre-shaped, lobed, and have a rough surface, growing in dense clusters.

Inflorescences are short, with up to six flowers per whorl. The flowers are about 0.5 inches long, tube-shaped, and range in color from pale pink to pale lilac, with a short hairy calyx that has a purple tint. The calyx enlarges as seeds ripen, and the plant produces many seeds and new plants.

Conservation status: Least Concern.