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In Bloom

Salvia gesneraeflora is located in the Entry Garden (Bed 5E) and the Meso-American Cloud Forest (Beds 24G and 29G ).

Location Scientific Name Salvia gesneraeflora Family Lamiaceae Plant Type Perennial Shrub Environment Grows best in moderately fertile, humus soil; prefers a moist but well drained location in full sun to light shade, very low maintenance Bloom From early spring to mid-autumn; blooms of soft hairy, red flowers, 2+ inches long Uses Great in a sunny border, container planting, and especially nice tucked in with other hardy shrubs ( Check out S. gesneraefolia in the Meso-American Cloud Forest for a great example of this growth habit) More Info The name gesneraefolia comes from the leaves resemblance to a gesneriad. It is a magnet for hummingbirds. Reaches up to 10 feet high by 5 foot wide in just a few months. Cut back yearly to encourage new growth and control it's sprawling nature. Salvia, like all mint family plants, have square stems and opposite, fragrant leaves.

One of the stunning bloomers in late winter through spring are the scarlet-orange, two-lipped flowers of Salvia gesneraeflora, a sprawling shrub from the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. There are two similar varieties: one with dramatic purple sepals enclosing the flower tube, and one with green. Both of these unique specimens grow on the slopes of a volcano in the province of Jalisco. The heart-shaped leaves are aromatic and sticky.

The name, Salvia, “sage”, has been in use for two thousand years, and indicates the medicinal qualities of some members of this enormous genus of plants in the Mint family. The name, Sage, probably originated in England centuries ago, and referred specifically to Salvia officinalis, a plant widely used as a household remedy for a variety of physical conditions. There are 900 different kinds of Salvia, half of which are found in the western hemisphere. They occur in both hot and temperate zones, from sea level to 11,000 feet.

There are four identifying features of all Salvias: square stems, opposite leaves, that are often aromatic, and two-lipped flowers of unequal length. Salvia gesneraeflora needs heavy pruning after blooming as it can become woody with multiple stems and is susceptible to wind.

Most of the S. gesneraeflora we have at SFBG are planted in the Meso-American Cloud Forest.

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Magnolia campbellii January	Magnolia denudata February	Magnolia x veitchii March
Iris douglasiana April

Acer palmatum 'Sango kaku' January	Magnolia campbellii 'Darjeeling' February	Bomarea spp. March
Rhododendron occidentale April	Polystichum munitum May	x Chiranthofremontia lenzii June
Salvia leucantha July	Hydrangea seemannii August	Wollemia nobilis September
Cyathea cooperi October	Pinus radiata November	Correa spp. December

Garrya elliptica January	Magnolia x soulangeana February	Senecio glastifolius March
Ribes spp. April	Oxalis oregana May	Calandrinia grandiflora June
Taxus baccata July	Romneya coulteri August	Passiflora parritae September
Malvaviscus arboreus October	Monterey Cypress November	Aloe arborescens December

Aloe plicatilis January	Banksia seminuda February	Zantedeschia aethiopica March
Magnolia laevifolia April	Araucaria heterophylla May	Toxicodendron diversilobum June
Clarkia sp. July	Agapanthus August	Brugmansia September
Cedrus spp. October	Protea repens November	Camellia sinensis December

Thujopsis dolabrata January	Gordonia longicarpa February	Rojasianthe superba March
Echium spp. April	Iris douglasiana May	Digitalis purpurea June
Felicia amelloides July	Ceroxylon quindiuense August	Amaryllis belladonna September
Ginkgo biloba October	Acer morrisonense November	Ilex aquifolium December

Picea sitchensis January	Telanthophora grandifolia February	Aeonium arboreum 'Schwartzkopf' March
Leptospermum April	Salvia gesneraeflora May	Lavandula spp. June
Pelargonium July	Fuchsia paniculata August	Luma apiculata September
Luculia October	Arbutus unedo November	Cycad December

Restionaceae January	Hellebores February	Ceanothus March
Rhododendron April	Psoralea pinnata May	Fremontodendron californicum June
Leucadendron argenteum July	Crocosmia August	Gunnera tinctoria September
Pellaea rotundifolia October	Fuchsia boliviana November	Erica canaliculata December

Magnolia campbelli January	Magnolia denudata February	Camellia March
Geranium maderense April	Acmena smithii May	Eschscholzia californica June
Dendromecon harfordii July	Romneya coulteri August	Eupatorium purpureum September
Epilobium canum sp. October	Grevillea spp. November	Drimys winteri December