1. Thistle Sage – Salvia carduacea
(SAL-vee-a kar-dew-AY-see-a)
Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family)
Native to: Much of S. CA & mountains of Central CA Coast to Baja; dry sandy or gravelly places
chaparral and coastal sage scrub and also in the desert.
herbaceous annual mature height: 1-2+ ft.
mature width: 1-2+ ft.
Looks like a thistle until it blooms. Toothed leaves in a basal rosette. Foliage white-hairy. May be
a short-lived perennial/ biennial in South Coast gardens.
Growth characteristics:
Blooms Mar-May/June. Extremely showy lavender to purple flowers in dense
clusters at the top of flowering stalks. Bright orange anthers extend beyond petals. Seeds edible.
Blooms/fruits:
Uses in the garden: Most attractive in summer-dry beds with other native annuals and perennials.
Also does fine in containers. Plant where you can enjoy the spectacular flowers and foliage.
Charming in a container with native bulbs & corms.
Sensible substitute for: Non-native annual sages; horticultural alliums and blue annuals.
Excellent bee habitat, particularly for larger bees such as Mason Bees. Birds eat the
Smaller animals eat seed and foliage. Plant is excellent live food for Desert Tortoise.
Attracts:
seed.
Requirements:
Element
Sun
Soil
Water
Fertilizer
Other
Requirement
Full sun (or nearly so)
Any well-drained
Supplemental water to establish; little or none after that
None needed
Management:
Easy to grow in well-drained soils. Will reseed on bare soil.
Propagation: from seed:
sow in place in Fall. Barely rake in to cover. Germinates in about 2
weeks.
Plant/seed sources (see list for source numbers): 10, 13, 16, 19
2/27/11
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