Tropical Sage
Salvia misella
Also known as: Florida Keys Sage
- Native to:
- Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panamá, Peru, Puerto Rico, United States
Carol VanHook (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Genus:
- Salvia
- Species:
- Salvia misella
- USDA Symbol:
- SAMI12
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 50 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct,nov
- Bloom Colors:
- white, pale blue, lavender
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: American bumble (Bombus pensylvanicus), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) Hummingbirds: Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Butterflies:Cloudless Sulphur (Phoebis sennae), Julia butterfly (Dione vanillae)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, well-drained sandy loam
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- native to tropical and subtropical regions
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily with light and warmth; surface sow and do not cover deeply.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Most interbreed and seed may not be what is labelled