Native Plants

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Bransford, W.D. and Dolphia

Salvia carduacea

Salvia carduacea Benth.

Thistle Sage

Lamiaceae (Mint Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: SACA8

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

A handsome, whitish-woolly plant with vivid lavender, bilaterally symmetrical flowers in a stacked series of prickly round clusters near top of leafless stems.

This is one of the most beautiful native sages; the brilliant lavender flowers are strikingly contrasted against the pale foliage, and the vermilion anthers provide color accent.

From the Image Gallery

5 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Herb
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.
Fruit: Nutlets.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Purple
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun
Bloom Notes: Purple to lavender with white throats.

Distribution

USA: CA
Native Distribution: Central California south to Baja California.
Native Habitat: Sandy or gravelly, open places.

Value to Beneficial Insects

Special Value to Native Bees

This information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 36 - Jepson eFlora (2019) The Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Salvia carduacea in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Salvia carduacea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Salvia carduacea

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-04-07
Research By: TWC Staff

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