We grow this one in the strongest sun we have. Even with a little shade it seems to have leaf disease issues and won't bloom. We do not water them at all in the Summer. I also know it from various native plant gardens in the Monterey Bay area, also in full sun. I used to grow other SoCal native and hybrid Salvias in Malibu - again in full sun.

Drainage is an absolute requisite, BTW.

Down in my area...Fallbrook...it's grown in full sun.

I consider the other posts too pessimistic. Although S. clevelandii likes full sun, I've found it in nature in partial shade. In addition, I have nine clevelands (seven of which I propagated from seed and cuttings) on a slope that faces west and northwest, and during summer they endure shade from a neighbor's sycamores and Aleppo pines during part of the day. They've done just fine.

Kermit: It would help to know where you live. It may tolerate full strong sun closer to the coast, but prefer a some shade inland. Based on the climate zones of the other two responders, it appears that it can tolerate more shade inland or further from the coast.

We grow S. regla on the north side of the house where it gets only bright shade all winter, and sun until about 1:00 in summer. It has thrived there since I stuck a cutting in the clay soil several years ago, just as an experiment. :-)

I grow regla in mostly al day filtereshade...not a dense shade. This is in Central Texas.

We are on the Mendocino Coast in Northern California. Lows into the mid 20s, cool summers. Not very much fog where we are.

I have seen S. clevlandii in the wild in partial shade as well. But I have also seen it in blazing situations.

> I have seen S. clevlandii in the wild in partial shade
> as well. But I have also seen it in blazing situations.
As have I -- evidence that it tolerates a greater variety of exposures than often assumed. Now, it's certainly possible that the "Pozo Blue" hybrid has different requirements.

To those of you growing S. regla, can you tell me how tall to they grow, and which form you are growing?

The forms I know of are the Big Bend, Texas forms `Warnock's Choice' and ` Mount Emory', the one from Jame, Coahuila, the one from Queretaro, Mexico from the Huntington BG (from either of two locations that I thought came from Hidalgo) and a new form from the Huntington that is probably a hybrid seedling, according to Kathy Musial.

Are there any other forms out there?

Salvia libanensis from Colombia should become available soon, and S. sessei is still around, but scarce. I have one that I will try to get to those interested this year, especially botanical gardens and nurseries. Both of these species are closely related to S. regla.

I grow S. clevelandii in filtered shade here in the high desert of southern Arizona. It blooms, is healthy and survived 72 hours of 0-16 degree temps last February 2011.

Richard, I don't know which form our S. regla is. About 12 years ago we were on a local garden tour, and as we were leaving the hostess offered me a 1-gallon pot of one she was growing. I didn't know enough at that time to ask which one it was. Anyway I put it in a large planter box, and later stuck a cutting of it in the ground on the north side of the house (clay soil!). It has thrived in this spot, and reaches the roof line.

Here's a photo of it taken July 2011, just starting to bloom.

In my experience, S. clevelandii and its cultivars do fine in partial shade inland in SoCal, but coastal plantings need full sun. I also think, but can't prove, that a garden bed's mycorrhizae make a big difference with CA sages and their moisture requirements.