Salvia cyanescens

Description

Salvia cyanescens is a perennial shrub in the Lamiaceae family. It is native to Iran and Turkey, and was introduced to horticulture in 1959. It freely hybridizes in its native habitat with Salvia candidissima. In mild climates it is evergreen, growing into 1 ft clumps. The gray-green leaves are 2 in long by 1 in wide and covered with hairs. It blooms in summer and late autumn, with delicate 1 in purple-violet flowers growing on 1 ft candelabra-like inflorescences. The epithet, cyanescens, means 'bluish', which is not entirely accurate regarding the flower. Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the sage family Lamiaceae, with nearly 1000 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. Within the Lamiaceae, Salvia is part of the tribe Mentheae within the subfamily Nepetoideae. One of several genera commonly referred to as sage, it includes two widely used herbs, Salvia officinalis (common sage, or just "sage") and Salvia rosmarinus (rosemary, formerly Rosmarinus officinalis). The genus is distributed throughout the Old World and the Americas (over 900 total species), with three distinct regions of diversity: Central America and South America (approximately 600 species); Central Asia and the Mediterranean (250 species); Eastern Asia (90 species). The name Salvia derives from Latin salvia (sage), from salvus (safe, secure, healthy), an adjective related to salūs (health, well-being, prosperity or salvation), and salvēre (to feel healthy, to heal). Pliny the Elder was the first author known to describe a plant called "Salvia" by the Romans, likely describing the type species for the genus Salvia, Salvia officinalis. The common modern English name sage derives from Middle English sawge, which was borrowed from Old French sauge, from Latin salvia (the source of the botanical name). When used without modifiers, the name 'sage' generally refers to Salvia officinalis ("common sage" or "culinary sage"), although it is used with modifiers to refer to any member of the genus. The ornamental species are commonly referred to by their genus name Salvia.