Salvia scabra Saffina

The Salvia scabra Saffina is a South African sage known as Rough Sage or Hairy Sage. It is less well-known than its European, Mediterranean, or Mexican cousins that adorn our summer flowerbeds. However, it is remarkably floriferous, undemanding, and highly drought-resistant. In mild climates, this less hardy plant forms a small shrub with attractive, deeply textured foliage and displays elongated tubular flower spikes in delicate pale mauve for several months. This sage has its place in dry gardens, gravel gardens, and rockeries, in well-drained soil where it self-seeds spontaneously.

Saffina Sage is a plant from the Lamiaceae family, native to sandy areas in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. This sage is theoretically a perennial plant, but it is only hardy down to -10°C (14°F) in perfectly drained and poor soil. It grows into a bushy and branched clump, woody at the base, reaching 45cm (18in) in height and 40cm (16in) in width. Its quadrangular and hairy stems bear deciduous to semi-evergreen foliage composed of deeply textured, crinkled, rough-to-the-touch leaves with irregularly lobed margins. They are bright green, darker on the underside, and slightly aromatic. Depending on climatic conditions, the remarkably long flowering period occurs from June to October to November. The flowers are clustered in 20cm (8in) spikes, taking the form of long tubes ending in 2 lips, in a very pale blue-mauve colour, enhanced by more purplish bracts. The formation of numerous tiny, fine seeds follows the flowering.

This Salvia scabra Saffina is a sun-loving, drought-tolerant plant well-suited to maritime climates and poor, dry soils. Its dense, wild plant appearance, the lightness of its flowers, and the elegance of its foliage work wonders in rockeries and border beds with well-drained soil. Its hardiness will be better in very porous soil that does not retain moisture. Three plants planted in a large pot will form many flowers in a single season, almost maintenance-free. It can be associated with other plants for dry conditions, such as thyme, lavender, cistus, statice, California poppies, or Goniolimon. Pretty wandering annual plants like Gilia capitata and Moroccan Toadflax will accompany them in field flowerbeds through their seeds sown by the wind.