The buttery yellow hillsides are round and soft against the cloudless sky; soon they will turn to hues of amber as the summer wanes.
While the recent heat wave sent many into air-conditioned buildings, for the gardener it is the time to find refuge under the canopy of a tree to continue the work of growing plants. Propagating plants is a necessary thing for the garden, and gardeners understand this cycle as they plan for each season.An established garden provides all the material for propagating plants and as all gardeners know, producing and caring for young plants is like having children -- it is not only a labor of love, but also teaches patience and acceptance of failure. This commitment by the gardener assures there will be nourishment for humans and wildlife.
New life begins with the seed or a cutting taken from the mother plant. There are two methods of propagating new plants: sexual propagation, done by collecting and starting new plants from seed; and a sexual propagation, done by taking a cutting from a mother plant to produce new plants, and by dividing established plants that usually grow in clumps.
Many shrubs that bloom during the spring can be pruned and propagated during the summer, including many natives that can be grown outdoors in the shade of a tree. Others, such as Salvia spathaceae, can be dug up where sections of the plant have roots attached, or seeds can be collected during the summer and sowed. These will produce new plants by the following spring.
Salvia spathaceae, commonly known as Pitcher or Hummingbird sage, provides a continuous supply of food for humming birds during late spring and summer.
Throughout spring and early summer this sprawling ground cover with chartreuse foliage sends up spikes of brilliant magenta flowers that reach up to 2 feet. And like all salvias, the flowers grow in whorls along stem, have fine hairs that protect it from insect damage and release a fruity fragrance from the resinous stems when rubbed.
Endemic, or native only to California, Salvia spathaceae is also the only red flowered native sage. It grows in shady or open grassy slopes in its native habitat of coastal scrub, chaparral or woodland areas below 2,500 feet. It is found growing in Solano County and areas south through the coastal range to Orange County.
Salvia spathaceae is happy when planted in a sunny to semi-shady spot in the garden. At the Gardens at Heather Farm we have it planted in the native plant garden along a sunny bank that gets regular water. It also is growing in the salvia garden in a semi-shady spot that gets infrequent watering. Both are quite happy, but the one in full sun and frequent water is more robust.
Pests and diseases are not a problem with this easy perennial, and deadheading and cleaning out old foliage is the only maintenance needed.
More on natives
A two-day symposium on growing native plants will be presented Sept. 17-18 by Friends of Regional Parks Botanic Garden, California Native Plant Society and Pacific Horticulture Magazine. It is a great opportunity to learn more about caring for native plants.