Texas
Wildbuds

Salvia ballotiflora

(Shrubby Blue Sage)

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Salvia ballotiflora, Choke Canyon State Park, McMullen Co. 8471

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Salvia ballotiflora, Choke Canyon State Park, McMullen Co. 8460

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Salvia ballotiflora, Lake Corpus Christi State Park, San Patricio Co. 5620

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Salvia ballotiflora, Lake Corpus Christi State Park, San Patricio Co. 5616

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Salvia ballotiflora, Choke Canyon State Park, McMullen Co. 8472

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Salvia ballotiflora, Choke Canyon State Park, McMullen Co. 8464

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Salvia ballotiflora, Choke Canyon State Park, McMullen Co. 8511

Scientific Name Salvia ballotiflora USDA PLANTS Symbol SABA5
Common Name Shrubby Blue Sage ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. 32700
Family Lamiaceae (Mint) SEINet
Reference
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Description Habitat: Rocky, sandy or gravelly soils on brushy hillsides, thickets and scrublands.
Plant: Intricately-branched shrub 4 to 6 ft. tall and 2 to 3 ft. wide; thin, fine branches with grayish, flakey bark; deciduous.
Leaves: Broadly ovate-deltoid to oblong-elliptic, 3/8 to 1-5/8 inches long; edges are crenate to coarsely dentate; rough to the touch; pungent, rank smell from glands on lower leaf surface.
Inflorescence: Many short, dense racemes of one to three flowers from upper leaf axils; flowers are less than 1/2-inch long, with light-blue to deep blue or purple two-lipped corollas,
Bloom Period: January to October.
Reference: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston and "Trees and Shrubs for the Southwest" by Mary Irish.
BONAP Distribution Map

Map Color Key
Texas Status:
Native

Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County

© Tom Lebsack 2024