Some of the plants on Robin's site should be making their way into the USA soon. A few are already in the collection at Cabrillo College and a few nurseries.

I'm currently drooling over Salvia oxyphora as the must have from Robin's site. I almost had some seed from a friend who gardens in Greece, but the one good seed had gotten crushed by postal processing. Bubble packs are really needed for protecting seed through the mail.

My Salvia plant list and experience is limited, especially in comparison to all of the gorgeous ones described on Robin's site, but the favorite in my yard right now is apiana. :)

Of course, all it takes is one successful seed prop (thanks for those, Becky! :D) or one find at a nursery, and I'll be drooling over something else. That's what is great about Salvias - they are so varied, there's something for everyone. :)

Brenda

I do hope that Salvia oxyphora will find its way to the USA. It has never set a single seed here. It does not set seed in Australia either. It is reported to be tuberous, and I did read somewhere that the plant is sterile. So maybe the only means of propagation is by tubers, or by easily-rooted cuttings.

It is definitely one of my favourites, as is Salvia littae which is flowering well now. I have 2 forms, one with pale pink flowers, and one with deep magenta flowers.

Robin.

The Hummers and I have two favorites: S. leucanta -- Mexican Sage, and S. involucrata "Mulberry Jam".

Right now I have one I call Christmas Salvia because the leaves are bright, shiny Christmas green and the flowers are a bright Christmas red from November through March here in CA. I have no idea what it really is. I suppose if I posted a photo Rich and/or Robin could give a positive ID.

Maybe Salvia miniata or S. greggii x microphylla Cherry Chief? You can help by giving us a size and shape description of the flower and leaves.

Salvia Oxyphora does has tubers, my faves change as more flower, there is a whole world of salvias out there to be tried, it is like a candy store, my fave for the day is salvia trijuga.

I am NOT a salvia expert. Right now, though, I think my favorite salvia is probably S. discolor. Those black black blooms combined with the silver leaves really get me. :-)

I like my local native salvias. S. clevelandii, which comes very close but is not quite here, is my favorite.

My fave right now b/c it's blooming is salvia holwayi. Still blooming salvia littae, involucrata with a slight of frost threat for tonight.

So many salvias and most are beautiful. I like salvia lyrata because it's native to my area but I think this year my favorite salvia is the salvia discolor because it bloomed this summer and thats only the second time I've had blooms usually it's too damp here.

I looked up the salvias everyone mentioned. My want list just got a bit longer. Ha ha!

I love the ease of my S. leucantha and S. elegans and all the hummingbirds that they bring to my yard, but I think the combination of the foilage color, the flowers, the smells and the bees and butterflies it attracts has brought S. mellifera to the top of my list. At least for now.

The S. africana-lutea I planted from a one gallon container a few months ago is just coming into bloom right now and is indeed a very nice Christmas sage. Now if my neighbor's cats would stop thinking that bed with 5 or 6 sages is their bathroom!

Well, my friend in Greece came through with some fresh Salvia oxyphora seed, and I will be starting up some stock plants post haste.

My favorite would be Salvia chamaedryoides (Blue Oak Sage). If only it had nice fragrance along with the gorgeous looks!

Here is a link that might be useful: PDN Salvia chamaedryoides

I havent had enough different salvias to really declare which is my favorite. I may have a better idea after this summer.

Indigo Spires for drama, large size, cut flowers in big vases, and blue in the garden, and chamaedryoides for contrasting foliage, small size, cut flowers in bud vases, and more blue in the garden.

I have two May Night Salvia out in front of my house. They are my favorite, Last year I got two blooms out of them, and the bumble bee's love them.

Plus, I really like deep purple flowers (Blue, I know, I know).

I, too, have limited experience and limited space, but my favorite is our native s. clevelandi based on the scent.

kelpermaid: Notwithstanding the beauties of the many cultivars mentioned by others in this thread, our so. Calif. native salvias have their unique charms, and S. clevelandii is my favorite, too. I've been visiting the northern population near Margarita Pk., in nortwestern San Diego Co. S. eremostachya bloomed spectacularly this year (the cleves near Margarita Pk. are just getting started), and you can see my photos in another thread.