S.x "Christina Yeo" looks like a small microphylla with deep purple flowers.

A white flowered chamaedryoides would be interesting.

The Marine Blue I saw at Cabrillo looks a lot like a large-flowered chamaedryoides. I am not familiar with either Pat's desert Green or Desert Gray.

Not wishing to seem picky....it is Christine Yeo, not Christina Yeo. A lovely Salvia.

Robin
Yes ,your correct Sorry about that, Christine is the proper name.
Thank you
Art

No problem! Just that Christine Yeo is a good friend of mine, it was she who introduced me to wonderful world of Salvias.

Can I piggyback here? I didn't want to start another thread with the same subject line.

I just ordered Salvia chamaedryoides--because it is true blue (according to Plants Delight), not too tall, and summer bloomer. Is this plant as good as the catalog description claims, or did I jump in without looking? It will be a front-of-the-border plant in full sun.

I do hope it is as blue and floriferous as it appeared in the catalog.

The catalog lists it as Zone 7 or higher. Do you think, with protection, it might survive in Zone 6? I ask because I have grown the annual salvia (lighter blue, Victoria maybe is its name) which is not hardy in my Zone 6 but most of them manage to survive our winters. I'm kinda hoping the perennial form can to.

Thanks for any input.

Kate

Kate:
Thats the thing about salvias don't be afraid to experiment.
I have several Salvias that are Zone 9 I protect them
here in Zone 8 No problem. The farther north the harder it is to protect plants.I am sure you can come up something
inventive.Keep us posted on your progress.The Salvia that
is really suprising is S.guaranitica "Black & Blue it goes to Zone 6.
Art

I've tried it in different soil conditions here in zone 7a without much success. During high summer the plants suffered dieback and even at their best never bloomed or grew vigorously. It may just be me, there are some plants that just won't thrive for me no matter what I try. They do seem hardy to a least 5F when they have dry feet.

Wardda;
Which form did you grow? How hot does it get? Cool down
at Night?What type soils did you try? Your right dry feet are an essential to growing this plant.
Art

I've had the same S. cham. plants in the gardens for 12 years; they've spread and rooted to make more. They seem to live thru' the Central Valley's summer heat, drought, winter cold, and even the gophers. I don't know what kind I have, but they do seem to be durable.

Kate: My S.cham. don't bloom all summer long. There is a big bloom in the early spring and then again in the Fall. The plant itself is always good looking tho'.

I think S. chamaedryoides is pretty cold hardy at least here in ABQ down to single digits F, for many nights in the first 2 winters I have been here.

I think cold hardiness is a pretty complex subject that depends on a lot of factors, so it is always good to state where you live and see if anyone with a similar climate has luck with a plant of interest. I am glad to see others experimenting, since I have somewhat of a problem with that (the first step is to admit the problem) = zone denial.....

Salvia canariensis has been cold hardy here in the ground, for almost 3 winters and it is "supposed" to be cold hardy only to low-mid 20s F, for example. It has seen at least a few months of "zone 7" and never complained....

Good Luck.
John R in Albuquerque, NM

Hybrid Sage, it gets well into the 90s and humid. The plants come through the winter OK but turn south in mid summer. The soil is barren fine grained sand, and grows Salvia greggii and its allies, various Agastaches and Zauchneria very well. I believe they might have recovered but some helpful gardener, it is a public garden, decided to be helpful and pulled them out. I forget which cultivars.

Wardda:
You are in New Jersey if my memory is correct. Your
rain fall and humidity may be to much for S.chamaedryoides
up there. Rich Have you had problems outside in North Carolina humidity w/S.chamaedryoides?
Art

Art:

I sure do, and I can keep them for 3 - 5 years in pots and in raised sand beds with good air drainage. Extended wet seasons in winter and summer will usually kill it.

Now that they have suffered and died three times I'll take a break from the species until I get forgetful. They can be kept dry enough but humidity is beyond my control. You would think that a place that can grow pachyphylla should grow chamaedryoides - it just ain't so.

This is all very interesting and helpful. Hopefully, Kansas is dry enough for it to survive or, even better, thrive here, but I'll remember not to overwater them.

Sorry to hear this plant takes a blooming break midsummer, but a lot of my other plants do also, and when it gets hot enough, I head for the AC, not the garden, so maybe spring and fall blooming will work out OK.

Kate