Salvia columbariae: This is an annual, growing 30 – 44cm H. with thin lobed leaves and bright blue flowers in globes in summer.
Salvia columbariae: is often known as Chia in health food circles.
Flowers: are in large globular heads with numerous, very small pale blue flowers. The hood is parted and flared open with prominent anthers. The two side lobes are easily seen with an elongated middle bottom lobe. The central area is white with dark markings to attract bees and insects, while the actual bottom part of the lobe is flared out, acting as a landing place for insects which they find very attractive.
Flowering in late spring through the summer months.
Calyces; are a dark wine colour, glandular, hairy and ribbed. All congested into a globular whorl of many flowers situated at the top of single stems.
As the summer months progress, the seed heads dry producing thousands of tiny seeds for the Health food Industry.
Leaves: are basal, forming a rosette of pale green, deeply lobed leaves with crenate lobed margins. Surface is textured, fissured and covered with long hairs. The stems have one or two pairs of small leaves along the stem.
Salvia columbariae: is a very attractive small annual. Often known as Chia for it’s medicinal qualities for tea made from the leaves and for the mucilage and oil from the seed. It has high energy values.
Plant in full sun in a good draining soil without crowing from other plants. Often planted with other tough hardy low growing perennials in the front of the bed. Gravel beds are ideal for growing this type of annual.
When the flowering has finished and the seed head has dried, then the seed can be harvested.
Propagation: is by only by seed.
Not available.