susanlynne 48:
Do you want just plants that reseed or pereenial plants too?
Salvia that reseed for me are S.coccinea,S.miniata I am
trialing some others.
Perennial types that produce more plants from seed are S.lyrata,S.azurea,S.microphylla and S.greggii. I have more
that will produce plants here but may not in Oklahoma.
Art

Thanks so much, Art! You may have noticed in my other post that the annual Salvia, 'Coral Nymph' reseeds and comes true for me in OKC. I don't know if it is a true annual or is perennial in warmer zones or not. It would be considered a "half hardy annual" here.

S. miniata is perennial in zone 6 up in Stillwater (north of me a ways. Actually, I am really interested in finding out which Salvias reseed that perform as annuals in Oklahoma but are perennial south of me. I am probably confusing the issue here.

S. coccinea is another that may winter over here in a warm winter, but reseeds to perpetuate itself. I guess the answer would be that I am looking for both annuals and perennials that reseed. I had 'May Night' and 'Purple Rain' but neither reseeded so am assuming that both of these cultivars are sterile. Also grew Clary Sage which reseeds, but think it may also be a reseeding annual since the mother plant did not come back from roots.

I appreciate the input. Where in Texas are you located?

Susan

I'd be very surprised to find out that Salvia miniata is zone 6 hardy. There are no temperate zones in Belize and neighboring Oaxaca that would be home to such cold tolerant plants. It does produce seed.

If I had room to set a Salvia miniata outside, I'd love to test your hypothesis.

Salvia chiquita , salvia darcyii reseed

Salvia miniata is usually killed instantly by the first freeze in England. It does set large amounts of seeds. But these must be collected in summer and sown in warmth in Feb/March.

Yet, S. sagittata which is frost tender here drops seed and these survive! Also, many of the Chinese species will produce volunteers (Think that is the correct word...not a UK expression....but I like it!) S. interrupta seedlings can also be found around the parent. Last year, I had S. roscida (aka fallax) and S. myriantha flowering throughout winter in the greenhouse. In spring, hundreds of small seedlings of both were found, having germinated in the gravelly ground around the plants.

Just wish that I could find seeds of oxyphora, leucocephala, and heerii....3 of the most wonderful winter-flowering species...may try hand-pollination again, but suspect this will be a complete waste of time, as it would be too cold for any seeds to ripen.

Sal. miniata zone 6 hardy? The only miniata Ive seen are cold hardy to zones 9/10. Would be curious to know what strain of miniata/belize you are referring to.

I think Art just meant it set seeds. The first freeze is instant death for mine. Like other folks have said it does set quite a bit of seed. I am not sure the seed is winter hardy, I suspect not. Seedlings tend to show up in other potted plants that were near miniata.

Robin,

Is there a seed source for S. oxyphora, leucocephala and heerii? I am always on the lookout for winter blooming salvias, for my hummingbirds. I did buy the S. roscida and myriantha from you, thanks again. :)

I spoke in error re Salvia miniata, but will try to grow and collect seed and let some drop to see if they germinate. Sometimes tropicals will reseed for me depending on the winter, e.g., Asclepias curassavica, but generally not. I have a Cuphea ignea that persists right now in a clay pot outdoors, so it is hard to say in Oklahoma. I do have lots of protection (microclimates) in my yard as well and some plants prove to be hardier than reports would have them. I grew many aroids that, in the past, were said to be hardy only in the deep southern regions of the U.S., but studies and experiments with them have proven many aroids to be much hardier than thought, based on their native origins. I've learned that you just never know sometimes, not that I would be willing to try if I had a very rare species I particularly cherished.

I do apologize for the presumptive error and will try to be more careful in the future. But, wouldn't it be wonderful? LOL

Susan

Voodoobrew,

As far as I know, there are no sources for the seeds you mentioned. Oxyphora is actually summer-flowering, but it never sets seed.....anywhere, even in Bolivia, its natural home. It is suggested that the pollinator is extinct. Such a pity as this Salvia is stunning.

As for the other two, heerii and leucocephala, both winter-flowering and tender, I found 3 seeds only on heerii last winter, in my greenhouse, but they did not germinate. Both of these are amongst my absolute favourite Salvias. The only way would be to send plants or cuttings to the US, but this is a complicated issue. I know that oxyphora cuttings have been sent twice to the US....illegally of course....packed inside plastic mugs! But they survived and rooted well...so this may become available for you before long! I will keep looking for seeds of the other two this year....may get seeds from heerii from my friend in Buenos Aires, but leucocephala has failed there, as it is too hot! This is a cloud-forest plant, and cannot stand scorching sunshine.

Robin.

There seems to be some discussion on whether sal miniata would set viable seed in colder regions z6 and lower. Sounds like a great candidate for controlled wintersowing. Of course Im referring to outside wintersowing. If I had seed I would try it.

Robin,

Thanks for the info, I will be on the lookout for those. How long are the S. oxyphora flowers? I bet my hummingbirds could pollinate it... well, they would surely give it a try, haha.

If you ever get enough seeds, consider me in line. :)

-Michelle

hummersteve, I used to live in Massachusetts (USDA Zone 5), and very little S. coccinea and S. columbariae would come up. The problem isn't with getting S. miniata to set seed in Indiana, but the viability and availability of wintersown seed.

Miniata is a tropical, and I never saw any volunteers except a few in greenhouse-maintained containers. I'd give this one a really low chance of success. It germinates under grow lights quite nicely, and is best started up indoors. Even if they do come up outside, they will be so late you won't get much bloom.

hummersteve:
My garden has several miniata seedlings but our soil does not freeze.I can send some seed if you would like give it
a try.My plant also starts blooming in May and I still have blooms on it. I did protect it with a frost cloth
as we got down to 24 Friday night.
Art

Michelle,

Oxyphora flowers are at least an inch long. Hummers have been all over it in Buenos Aires.....no seed! Here it can attract ants and wasps because of the nectar.

That is so odd about oxyphora... I wonder what the pollinator was. I think it is my favorite of all of your photos. Is it stoloniferous? Have you sent it to Cabrillo? I bet Strying and UCBerkeley would LOVE to get a cutting, illegal or not.

btw, Argentina has been on my vacation want list for years, and we may finally end up there in the near future (my father lived there). How does one go about bringing cuttings back, in general? I suppose you know that California is very strict at the airport regarding this... NO live plant material allowed.

Voodoobrew:
Going to Mexico we had to 1) have permit from the USDA
that allowed to bring plants back.
We could only enter the US through Laredo (because that is
were the USDA inspection station is). You also had to clean all seed before you came across the border. Some plants were not allowed in because they carry certain disesaes ie;No Berberis or Mahonia because they carry cedar apple rust and would endanger food crops here.
No plants in soil or with soil on there roots. Cuttings
were ok but it was sometime hard to get good cutting material so several trips would need to have been planned.
Being in California they may have much different rules.

FYI My Parents live in Uruguay one thing i have been thinking about is spending about a month down there to go botanizing in Argentina . My Spanish is getting very rusty so I am trying to fix that.
Art

Voodoobrew,

I have not sent any cuttings to the USA. But I believe cuttings were sent to Cabrillo this year, and that they were not intercepted........so it may be available soon, it is very easy from cuttings. It is sort of stoloniferous.

I just take a risk bringing cuttings back here....so far, so good. Worst that could happen is that they are confiscated. Argentina does not have many Salvias, the Catamarca area is perhaps the best place, but they seem to all be variations of meyeri/rhinosina, stachydifolia. Different forms of guaranitica can be found, pallida, the very weedy-looking nervosa, uliginosa, the very invasive procurrens, and cuspidata. In garden centres you may find the wonderful year-round compact hybrid which resembles Purple Majesty. If you intend to visit Buenos Aires, lmk, and I will put you in touch with my friends there, large Salvia collection.