Salvia jamensis La Luna

Salvia x jamensis 'La Luna' is a variety of shrubby sage that charms with its pale-yellow flowering, which is a rather rare colour in this group of salvias. The plant forms a small flexible bush. It blooms for months, with a summer break in between (depending on the climate). Its evergreen foliage releases a pronounced tangy scent at the slightest touch. This drought-resistant variety is relatively hardy. It only requires very well-drained soil, and a sunny or semi-shaded exposure to thrive.

Salvia x jamensis 'La Luna' is a horticultural selection. It comes from a natural hybrid of S. greggii and S. microphylla, which is frequently found in the mountains of Mexico. Like all sages, 'La Luna' belongs to the Lamiaceae family. This shrubby perennial has a flexible, ramified, rounded habit, almost as wide as it is tall. It will reach approximately 60cm (24in) in all directions, or even more in fertile soil. The nectar-rich and honey-bearing flowering period is long. It begins in May-June, slows down if July and August are dry, resumes in September, and continues until November if cold weather does not put an end to it. The flowers are grouped in spikes at the tips of the stems, above the foliage. They are bilabiate, measuring no more than 2cm (1in) in length, and adorned with a pale-yellow hue. They only live for a day, but will already be replaced the next morning. The evergreen foliage is composed of small oval leaves that are slightly toothed. The medium green leaves are thick, aromatic, and slightly sticky, releasing a strongly tangy essential oil. They measure from 1 to 2cm (1in) in length. This variety is hardy to -10 to -12°C (14 to 10.4°F) in well-drained soil.

The warmer and lower light of autumn enhances the flowering of shrubby salvias, which capture the light through their petals like tiny stained-glass windows. These low-maintenance plants are known for their almost uninterrupted flowering from spring to frost. 'La Luna' pairs well with blue, mauve, or salmon-coloured flower varieties. Its combination with medium-sized grasses or autumn asters is fabulous: choose those that require little, like Aster laevis or A. turbinellus, for example. Gauras, tall sedums (Sedum 'Matrona'), shrubby potentillas, and the blue spikes of caryopteris will create a charming scene with it. Plant it in a large pot on a patio, covering its base with bright blue lobelia.

In Mexico, a delicious tea is prepared with the leaves of this sage, which is called 'mountain myrtle' there.