Beautiful! I loved mine when I grew it a couple of years ago, but didn't care for the ants on the flowers. Maybe I'll get it next year and grow it again.

My plant began flowering indoors very recently. I like those fuzzy flowers.

Gorgeous salvia regarding the color of the flowers and the shape of them! I'm going to try and order that one again next year. I love it!

I found S. oxphora at Georgia Vines for $10 + $3 shipping for a "Starter Plant".
Was going to get a 1 gal from Flowers by the Sea, but couldn't justify
$10.50 + $21.50 shipping though I'm sure it's a very good plant.

According to HerbCottage Dotcom in Australia, "No plant has been observed with seeds after flowering, either in the wild or in herbariums."
I'm not convinced, and will try to get some anyway, IF the plant thrives.

If it grows wild, how does it reproduce if it doesn't produce seeds? Unless it layers or spreads through
the soil?

You'll get a robust quality plant that is cultured by someone who will send you the real deal from Flowers by the Sea.

@EscondidoCal

Welcome!

Flowers By The Sea is offering Salvia oxyphora in 3 1/2 inch deep pots for $10.50 through mail order. http://www.fbts.com/salvia-oxy... They have great plants, great service and specialize in salvias. Where did you see one-gallon pots for $10.50?

I was just on the Georgia Vines to see what size of pot they ship as a starter plant, but couldn't find the size. Did you find out what size of pot they're going to ship you?

@EscondidoCal

Georgia Vines doesn't seem to have a very good reputation. Although you'd get the nicest plant from Flowers by the Sea, a cheaper option for a smaller, starter plant is from the ebay seller called dogwooderitternet. It's been a few years since I've ordered from him but he seems to still have good feedback. Just a thought.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/SALVIA...

I think that Kermit mentioned, somewhere, that his plants eked out a few seeds for him. I've had a plant start to develop a few seeds, I thought, but they ended up being empty achenes with no actual seed inside.

Hi & thanks for the welcome and info.

I ordered the S.oxy yesterday from Georgia Vines, and they shipped today! =O
Great service, so far. I hope the plant will be as good as their service. Worth a try anyway, and they (Lori) contacted me same day to
make sure I was happy. Gotta say I'm impressed so far.

I guess I assumed the plant from FBTS was a 1 gal since they were charging 2X more for shipping than the plant.
I haven't bought from them yet, and am sure they are very good, but $21.50 for shipping is excessive, imho.

The description of the plant's natural habitat, it's growth habit, and requirements at the HerbCottage dot com in "Oz" ( ) is very well written and it sounds challenging, but not impossible for me.

In fact, I'm almost giddy imagining it growing where I already have a very pretty cobalt blue (volunteer-from-who-knows-where!)
salvia that is spreading in the natural soil which is dry and in the shade (but I'm giving it extra water especially in the heatwave)

The foliage on the blue also large spade shaped, and the plant is easy to propagate just by digging a little at the margins, and lifting out a section with roots, watering it in, and mulching. I'm amazed it has not only survived, but thrives in the relatively dry conditions.

In fact, the blue salvia is what started my renewed interest in salvias. It prompted me to get some seeds from Mia at SmartSeeds, as well as
several types of milkweeds for our monarchs. That's a whole 'nother story! =O

Recently, I've started propagating the blue to new areas in the last month (even with all the recent 90F+ heat here in Escondido, and virtually all
are doing well and putting out new growth and even flower spikes. So I'm hopeful the S.oxyphora will feel at home, too.
That will be spectacular if it mixes in with the blue one.

Just want to say I'm very happy to have found such a great community here of enthusiastic, helpful & easy to know fellow gardeners.
Lots to learn & share. I feel at home already.

Here's the volunteer blue that I transplanted into my main garden:


And just took these a few minutes ago. Call me crazy, but I'm going to plant the new S.oxyphora with this one, mulch it, water it, and
try not to check on it every 1/2hr!

Transplants ~1mo old


Main colony


Closeup.....even deeper blue than it looks in the pic


I'll let you know when the Fuzzy Bolivian Sage comes in, and how it goes.
One great thing about salvia is it appears the rabbits and snails leave it alone.
But I may put a little chicken wire around it just in case, at least until it gets a foothold.

@EscondidoCal

You'll have to let us know how your new S. oxyphora is after you get it and it blooms. I was thinking Georgia Vines wasn't a good place to get plants and/or seeds from after reading all the reviews (negative and neutral), but I hope it turns out to a good for you.

Your three pics looks like S. Black and Blue to me. Anise-Scented Sage (Salvia coerulea 'Black and Blue') Great pics and looks like you have lots of them!

Here's our main Salvia database. I included the link for S. oxyphora too.

The Salvias Database

Bolivian Hummingbird Sage (Salvia oxyphora)

The hummingbirds will love all the (Black and Blue and oxyphora) flowers in your yard!

My old Salvia oxyphora is becoming massive. The tallest stem is adorned with a flower bud woohoo!

I got this beauty from Flowers by the Sea years ago. I overwinter it indoors.

Hi Marilyn,
I was just admiring all the beautiful images of S.oxyphora here. I can hardly wait to get it.....hopefully by this Monday.

Glad you liked the pics of the Black & Blue salvia....didn't know its name. Must have come in from a neighbor's yard by bird,
but don't see it growing anywhere in the neighborhood.

It sounds like it's easy to propagate, so I hope to have lots of plants by the end of the season if it grows as well as the Black & Blue.

BTW, I do have GBs of flower pics, and plan to share them. I really enjoy the garden, especially in the morning when the air is still,
and the evening with a nice breeze. ;)

Just checked on my Salvia oxyphora from Georgia Vines.......I ordered on Tues 7/18, and it's set to arrive tomorrow 7/21! =O
Not bad from Georgia to California for $3 shipping.

I'll post a pic of the package and plant when it arrives.

Has anyone had success propagating it by cuttings, layering, or rhizomes?

@Gerris2

Your S. oxyphora is looking good and tall. That's great you are able to overwinter it for years. Nice bud.

my very own Salvia oxyphora just showed up at the front door! They said it would
arrive today, but I didn't even hear them drive up. It was in the shade.

The packaging is excellent......the plant was well cushioned on 2 sides with "peanuts".
The pot was damp, and wrapped with cellophane and instructions for immediate care.

The plant is in good, if not great, condition.....I don't know how it compares to those
shipped by FBTS (?), but for $13 including 2-day Priority shipping from Georgia, no tax,
it's a real deal.

I just trimmed off the one broken branch.

I'm going to follow directions explicitly and wait a week or whenever it "perks up" to plant,
but will keep an eagle eye on it in the mean time.




Considering the price for the plant, the excellent customer service, the care they took to package it
and get it here so quickly, and the quality of the plant, I give Georgia Vines 5 stars.

You'll have to post pics when it blooms.

First flower showing from the fat bud.

Marilyn said:You'll have to post pics when it blooms.

I'll be posting pics every so often as it grows.....I'll be surprised to get a
bloom this season.

Maybe I should prevent it from blooming to let it spend
more time & energy making a good root system and rhizomes.(?)


@Gerris2,
love the big fat buds!

@Gerris2

Great looking bud with beautiful flowers.