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Similar Salvia melissodora, Salvia gesneriflora, Salvia dorisiana, Salvia mexicana, Salvia regla | ||
Salvia madrensis (Forsythia sage) is a yellow-flowered Salvia native to the Sierra Madre Oriental mountain range in Mexico, growing at 4,000-5,000 elevation in warm, wet areas. The specific epithet "madrensis" refers to the high mountains where it grows.
Salvia madrensis spends the first part of the growing season putting out 4-7 foot stems that are thick (2 inches) and square, with ridges on each corner emphasizing the squareness. The rough, heart-shaped spinach-green leaves are widely spaced on the stem, graduating in size from large at the bottom to smaller at the top, giving a lush covering to the plant. Numerous 12 inch inflorescences are covered with softly colored butter-yellow flowers held in whorls. The calyces are aromatic and covered with sticky glands. Blooming begins in late autumn, lasting until frost.
