I named this salvia urica 'blue ribbon' but it gets around as Blue ribbon.It looks like all the other urica images that I have googled.

Here is a link that might be useful: Salvia 'Blue ribbon'

You have to be aware that the lovely Salvia urica is VERY variable......I have at least 3 forms. What is confusing and annoying, is that if you take seeds from the delightful "short form", they invariably revert to the normal, tall form!

Then again, though not hardy, seeds survive in frozen ground, and new plants appear in late summer...again with variations. I LOVE this species!

Suggest that the name 'Blue Ribbon' is questioned until it can be proved that this really is a form of S. urica, and not a hybrid,

Just to add to the mucking fuddle.........friend of mine in the UK is growing a super plant which would seem to be a hybrid of urica x perhaps the yet un-named species from Guatemala (perhaps biserrata)....rather special with deep violet flowers.....just starting to flower here, will put a photo on my site soon.

So taking that into consideration then the blue ribbon has to be the tall species, as it comes true from seed and doesnt revert,the purple flowering one I just dont know why are the flowers purple and differently shaped, it must be the low form then, ahhh the headaches in getting these species sorted oot,on another subject has the gorgeous sl411 got a real name yet,seems such a shame to have a rego id:)

A

No.........after 7 or 8 years, it is still SL411...I give up!

My short form and tall form (the latter always seeding about as Robin writes above) both have fairly hairless leaves but I also have an intermediate height form that has a softer, hairy leaf. I love them all.

Jim

Here is a shot of the short purple flower,presuming this is the low form of urica.

Here is a link that might be useful: Salvia urica low form (?)

There is a third form of urica, collected by friends of J L Hudson in Oaxaca, which has these flowers. The low form of urica, which I lost, is much like the tall form, except for habit, and has the samw blue flowers, with the lobes of the lower lip held open, not deflexed as in your image. The deflexed lobes are characteristic of the JLH form, which has foliage with a stronger scent, reminiscent of old gelatin capsules.

Well...........a confused Salvia! I now have another form, fairly compact, from Gill Barlow, another British Salvia-nut. This has larger flowers, is so-so compact, and beautiful.

Other one which I mentioned earlier, with violet flowers, may well be a hybrid...with biseratta????Who knows! But it is special.

Seeds that I am offering this year (www.robinsssalvias.com) are from different forms of urica........could produce some great plants!

Many volunteer seedlings this year, all seem to have reverted to the tall form.

Robin.

You think you are confused Robin, what about the poor urica,he doesnt know if he is tall or short or purple or a hybrid and more,maybe it should be called Salvia Arthur or Martha:)

Annette

Moving on..........

Salvia amarissima has lavender flowers and is a close relative of S. urica

Really? OK, they are from the same section "uricae" but apart from their habit to seed around everywhere, they do look quite different. But both are delightful Salvias, even if most flowers drop off after mid-day......oh, another similar trait!