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Salvia canariensis (Canary Island Sage) - A large sage to 6 to 7 feet tall by as wide with thick stems are heavily clothed in dense white-wooly hairs and large arrowhead shaped gray-green leaves that are wrinkled with impressed venation on their topside and scattered long white hairs below - the tips of these hairs have aromatic oil glands. In mid spring into summer appear the heavy foot long flower clusters at the branch tips with violet-colored flowers that have calyces and bracts a redder rose-purple color – very showy.
Plant in full sun in a moderately well drained soil and water very little to not at all in coastal gardens with occasional irrigation in hotter inland areas. Proven hardy at our location to at least short duration temperatures to 25° F and unhurt by the 3 nights to this temperature in the January 2007 freeze and others have found it stem hardy below 20° F and Betsy Clebsch in The New Book of Salvias (Timber Press, 2003) notes that "brief periods of temperatures falling to 15°F (-9°C) will kill it to ground but it will generally come back from its rootstock the following spring". Some consider it short lived, but we have a 30-year-old plant in the garden in a location that has thrived on just natural rainfall and never gets supplemental water. Prune hard to shape and remove spent flowering branches in winter months. This is an interesting and showy large plant for a spot in the dry garden. It attracts hummingbirds, bees and butterflies yet is resistant to predation by deer and rabbits.
Salvia canariensis is common on the islands of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Palma, Gomera and Hierro in the Canary Island archipelago where it can be found in dry areas. On Isla Gran Canaria it is found growing from the coast to high up into the montane areas. The name Salvia comes from the Latin name used by Pliny for the plant and comes from the Latin word 'salvere' meaning "to save" in reference to the long-believed healing properties of the plant. The specific epithet of this plant reflects the location where it grows naturally.
We grew and sold this plant from 1992 until 1996, but found it grew a bit too big, reseeded in the garden and some people were allergic or at least bothered by the hairs on the stems and foliage when working on the plant, so discontinued production of it. Recent selections are a little less coarse looking and these may encourage us to grow this plant once again.
This information about Salvia canariensis displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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