Salvia pratensis

Salvia pratensis, also known by its scientific name Salvia pratensis, is a hardy perennial herb from the Lamiaceae family, native to the Mediterranean coast. It grows in meadows, fields, and banks in Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. Its English names include "meadow clary" and "meadow sage," referring to its clear vision-enhancing and medicinal properties in meadows. However, there can be some confusion with another plant known by these names, Salvia guaranitica, which has black calyces, noticeable stems and leaves, and dark blue flowers.

Salvia pratensis grows to a height of 50-100 cm. The stems are quadrangular, densely covered with white hairs, and branched. The leaves are aromatic, green, wrinkled, and range up to 15 cm in length, with an elongated-ovate to broadly elliptical shape. The leaves become smaller as they ascend the stem and have serrated edges and opposite arrangement.

From June to August, the plant produces racemes up to 30 cm long from the tops of the flowering stems. The flowers are whorled, with a corolla length of 2.5 cm and a diameter of about 1 cm, forming a labiate shape. The wild type has blue-purple flowers, but horticultural varieties can be deep purple, light blue, white, or pink. The flowers have two long stamens and attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds seeking nectar and pollen. After flowering, nutlets develop within the calyces.

Origin of the Name
The genus name "Salvia" comes from the Latin "salvare" (to heal or save), and the species name "pratensis" means "of meadows or fields" in Latin.

Common Name: Salvia pratensis
Scientific Name: Salvia pratensis
English Names: Meadow Clary, Meadow Sage
Origin: Mediterranean coast
Distribution: Europe, Western Asia, North Africa
Habitat: Meadows, fields, banks
Classification: Plantae, Angiosperms, Eudicots, Order: Lamiales, Family: Lamiaceae, Genus: Salvia (Sage), Species: Salvia pratensis
Plant Height: 50-100 cm
Stem: Quadrangular, white hairs, branched
Leaf Characteristics: Aromatic, green, wrinkled, elongated-ovate to broadly elliptical, up to 15 cm in length, becoming smaller towards the top, serrated edges, opposite arrangement
Blooming Period: June-August
Inflorescence Type: Raceme
Inflorescence Length: 30 cm
Corolla Length: 2.5 cm
Flower Diameter: 1 cm
Flower Colors: Blue-purple, deep purple, light blue, white, pink
Flower Arrangement: Whorled
Stamens: Two long stamens
Fruit: Nutlets in four chambers
Visitors: Bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
Uses: Gardens, flower beds, mixed plantings, cut flowers
Horticultural Variety: Salvia pratensis ssp. haematodes 'Indigo'

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Salvia pratensis

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