Mine just started blooming.... and are white with a pate hint of pink... it's amazing what can be done with filters / or lighting in a photograph. After "climbing over mountains", literally, to get 6 of them, I'm very disappointed.... another off-white Salvia. Boo! Hiss!

Of the six I have one has finally started blooming sort of pinkish. The 'hood' part is a lavander-pink and the lip is striped front to back lavander-pink and white. So far these blossoms are quite small. I guess it's unique because it is definitely striped, but hard to see that there is striping.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you guys get these?

I am curious because they originated near here. They were marketed very aggressively, "The Hot Lips of S. greggii" etc.

They do pretty well, but are not nearly as interesting as Hot Lips, IMHO. From even a short distance, they look pretty much like a white greggii to me. I am wondering if they are more impressive in a milder climate (i.e., cooler like in coastal CA).

Thanks.

I got mine from a CA representative grower, Emerisa. The early blooms from at least one of my six was a barely off- white. Only one has now exhibited the striping, but the flowers are so small that you have to pick the blossom off and practically use a magnifying glass to see this. Unless something changes over the summer, these will get moved to a far less prominent place-of-show.

And you are correct about Hot LIps being worthwhile. My daughter has two called Hot Lips that are white with bright pink lips. (Rats! I forgot to take some starters when I left this past Monday.)

what do you guys think of Salvia greggii TERESA now?

Well, I just saw my first flowers on my new plant yesterday and noticed that they were pretty small too. During the hot, humid days of summer, lots of my greggiis and relatives develop smaller flowers. What say you in Mediterranean climates?

Last late-spring/summer my S.g. Teresas started out pale with small flowers; as the summer progressed the flowers got larger and the coloration more pronounced. This spring, once again, the colors are pale and the flowers small. Time will tell if they'll do the same as last summer. (The Hot Lips did/are doing the same thing.)

One thing, they do seem to need regular water... not as drought tolerant as other greggiis.

Since this is my first "normal" blooming season with 'Teresa' (having planted it last year), I only know that mine is blooming profusely, but compared to my other Salvias, it does seem to have small flowers. It's grown a lot since last year, though.

I only water mine every 3 weeks, even with the hot temps we've had for the last 2 (upper 90s-100+). I don't amend the clay soil, though, so maybe that helps with water retention.

Brenda

the more heat the better they do. Fall is also a great time for TERESA

the original TERESA gets no supplemental water and is doing great.Greggiis should be treated culturally just like lavender

Perhaps you get occasional water during the summer and it may also be more humid than here in the Central Valley of California. We haven't had any rain since May and aren't likely to get any until November -- if we're lucky. The humidity is usually around 20-30%.

If I don't give supplemental water plants might survive, but they're going to suffer and look awful.

One of my Salvia 'Teresa' plants just bloomed this morning and the best I can tell the blossoms are all white...no pink striping. Once the sun comes up and it is a little brighter outside I will look again as it is just now 6:00 and just getting light out. Mine are planted in slightly amended clay soil with a top layer of gravel in full sun from about 11:00 a.m. on.

Penny

how is your salvia now? I see that ;Plant delights nursery is listing the salvia teresa in their fall catalog

The flowers of mine have definitely gotten MUCH bigger as the summer has progressed, just as Westelle mentioned they might. I love the looks of this one, and I'm very happy with it. :)

Brenda

Here is an update on my plants. All are blooming beautifully...one is solid white, two are a magenta pink and the forth and tallest is more of a raspberry pink. Even though they don't resemble the parent in color they are beautiful and I am very happy with the growth habit and the flowers and my juvenile hummers used them a lot before they headed south.

Penny

Here is a photo of Theresa this year; the whitish ones are Teresa.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Lovely, Westelle!

Brenda