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wardda_gw

Yellow greggii or microphylla

wardda
14 years ago

I have not been able to find any yellow range culivars that do well here in New Jersey. The ones I have tried don't bloom well, perhaps because of humidity. So far the only one that survives winters here, at least a few did last winter, was California Sunset, 2 out of 6 returned and they were damaged and limping and hardly grew at all this summer. What might I try for breeding stock, to cross with the hardier plants already established?

Comments (10)

  • hybridsage
    14 years ago

    Ward:
    Sorry which ones have you tried?
    I have had Moonlight for years but blootime
    is usually better when it is cooler.Once temps start hitting 85-95 the bloom is not so showy and the flowers get
    torn up by noon. But my climate is a lot hotter also.
    Down in Mexico where the jamensis hybrids are there temps
    are lows of the 50's and highs of 80's in summer.
    Art

  • rich_dufresne
    14 years ago

    Art & Ward:

    The pure yellow (all light) x jamensis are: Cienega de Oro (Yucca-Do accession, with dark calyxes), Moonlight (from M. Nevin Smith at Suncrest, pure light yellow with green calyxes), and La Luna (from James Compton's trip with Yucca-Do, with an orange-brown spot on the top of the hood of the flower, and the darkest flowers). Tony Avent (Plant Delights) has a S. microphylls Lutea which is more robust, and likely to be an x jamensis. La TArda (an x jamensis for collected by Dr. Compton) has light yellow flowers with a light magenta second tone)

    I saw a deep yellow x jamensis in the Jame area, but could not collect seed or cuttings. James Compton told me of an inaccessible deep yellow bush he saw peering town a cliff in the same area. A straight deep yellow one is what I am looking for.

    The bicolors include two named Senorita Leah (the original in the USA, and one with a reversed field in England. I'll have to do a side-by-side comparison to verify this distinction, though. These are light peach and a dark pink. Dancing Dolls from Suncrest is more microphylla-like. Sierra San Antonio is one of the original Yucca-Do introductions with light yellow and orange. California Sunset (Cabrillo?) is somewhat similar, with more light peach. San Isidro Moon has a pretty uniform light peach with a pink rime and dark calyxes, and is the third of the original Yucca-So introductions.

    I'd love to do a side-by-side planting of all of these to get images of the flowers and growth habits. I'm sure there are others with yellow, and am currently ignoring the orange ones like Orange Yucca-Do and Devanteville that do not have yellow zones. These are genetically related, since the orange is a blend of a red or magenta anthocyanin pigment with a yellow xanthophyll pigment.

    The presence of the latter pigment strongly suggests to me that a third species may be involved, which is why I am interested in a DNA analysis of these sages, and in collecting some pure dark yellow forms.

  • wardda
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I printed out the list and will search for as many as can be found. Space isn't a problem although where they would be planted would be far beyond the reach of water in dry sandy soil. The sages grown in this location don't have the size and vigor of their counterparts in the home garden's richer conditions, but you can't have everything. This could be interesting.

  • wardda
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I had a look at Robin's Sierra San Antonio seedlings on his site and was impressed. Too bad there is an ocean in between or I would go begging. It has been nearly a decade since Sierra San Antonio has been in the garden, it must come back.

  • rich_dufresne
    14 years ago

    When I visited Blue Meadow Herb Farm in Montague, Massachusetts, Brian McGowan pointed out to me that the sport Senorita Leah (named for his daughter) was found as a chance seedling near both Sierra San Antonio and San Isidro Moon stock plants that were in bloom.

    Blue Meadow has long been out of business, so it is up to others to keep this clone growing.

  • voodoobrew
    14 years ago

    Ward, I've got some seeds from S. Sierra San Antonio from my garden if you're interested, but I'm not sure if they will come true. My hummingbirds really like it.

    I have recently acquired seed for X jamensis Moonlight Serenade, and for X gr. Dancing Dolls. And in the orange range, X gr. Tangerine Ballet.

    Richard, is S. Señorita Leah available in the trade? I've never seen it.

  • hybridsage
    14 years ago

    Rich and Ward:
    Thanks for the info always helpful putting things together.
    Voodoobrew:
    I did an experiment and planted Sierra S.A. in the fall
    it made it through winter bloomed nice in the spring and
    even produced seed. My F-1 Generation 1 plant turned out
    with flower coloration sam as Sierra foliage is small
    and more greggii like. Plant #2 Very nice solid pink
    with good plant habit(Compact) Plant #3 more like S.
    microphylla orange red flowers w/a white eye in the corolla at the end of the floral tube. very nice
    plant habit also has a fruity smelling foriage.
    I had a f-2 generation that went on both sides of
    the Gene poll also.They all survived this years drought.
    Sierra S. A. alway's died on me but the genetic's live on.
    Art

  • wardda
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Yes I would Voodoobrew. It is a long winter here and they could be started along with the Silke's Dream seed collected this summer. The fact that they are unlikely to come true is fine with me, in fact it is what I want.

    Interesting Art, my hope is that some will cross with the hardier types making durable plants for my area. And frankly I am a little tired of all the red, white and pink ones that appear, most of which are nice but nothing special.

  • rich_dufresne
    14 years ago

    Salvia x jamensis Señorita Leah is available from Sandy Mush Herb Farm., I think. I'm trying to get it to other nurseries.

    Voodoobrew, please post pictures of your Serrra San Antonio progeny, if possible

  • hybridsage
    14 years ago

    Ward:
    I wish you the best of luck. What I did here is put
    my S.micrphylla and a few hybrids of my own on one side
    of my sidewalk and greggii on the other they have both
    mixed in my beds now ( that was about 8 years ago).
    But as some died (Natural selection) others have thrived.
    I have a deep red microphylla ( most of the reds available
    are orange red or lighter red). Cherry Queen ,Silkes Dream, S.microphylla "Hot lips", Blue Chiquita ,S.greggii Sunset and Sunset Pink are putting on a real show.Everthing else is very light bloom.
    Art

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