White Sage
Salvia apiana
approx 15-20 seeds
White sage is a tall desert plant, excellent as a garden feature with its attractive white leaves and distinctive smoky sage smell.This evergreen perennial is native to USA and Mexico and was traditionally used by Native Americans for culinary and ritual purposes. It is highly attractive to bees and butterflies. Perennial to 1.5m Sow in Spring and summer at 25-30 degrees C, seedlings emerge 30 days.
Use the following method for germinating: Use fine seed raising mix in a tray or pot and pre moisten the mixture before adding seeds to ensure they aren’t washed away. Sprinkle seeds on the surface and pat down so they have good contact with the soil but don’t entirely cover them as light helps with the germination.
The best germination rate is achieved at temperatures of 25-28 degrees C so sowing in warmer months/ indoors is recommended. Maintaining this temperature range can be helped by covering the top of the seed raising tray with cling wrap and poking a few holes in it for ventilation. Do not place the tray/pot in any direct sunlight until they germinate.
To avoid washing the seeds away, water regularly with a spray bottle and gently mist the seeds to ensure they never dry out but are never too damp (or they may rot). Once the seeds have germinated the cling wrap can be removed. Prefers full sun position with well drained sandy soil and little water.
image - HLWolfe, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons