[Fleur Pavlidis]

Can anyone identify this plant which I am guessing is a salvia and which is blooming in my garden in Attica? It is at least 2 metres tall, has pale green, sticky, aromatic leaves which turn yellow down the stem. The long spikes of pale blue flowers grow from the tip of the stem in bunches of up to five but with one always being longer than the others.

Can anyone identify this plant which I am guessing is a salvia and which is blooming in my garden in Attica? It is at least 2 metres tall, has pale green, sticky, aromatic leaves which turn yellow down the stem.
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The long spikes of pale blue flowers grow from the tip of a stem - initially alone, as here
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 but eventually in bunches of up to five but with the first spike always being longer than the others
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[Alisdair]

Salvia somalensis has flowering side-spikes off the main stem-top spike; is that what you mean happens, in your last picture?  Because that's unusual enough in salvias to be a distinguishing feature. And in other respects your plant could match S. somalensis - but obviously not if it's growing wild in your Greek garden, as it's a Somali endemic. 

[Fleur Pavlidis]

I think you've made the correct identification. I've checked my plant with photos on the internet e.g. http://www.robinssalvias.com/blue/htms/somalensis2.htm (this photo is from the UK) and it looks identical. What I wonder is how it came to be on offer at Chrysanthi's nursery (where I bought it). I have some potted-on cuttings if you'd like one as a reward.

[Bracey]

Richard concurs as well.  Our plant is blooming nicely right now.

[pamela]

 Hello Fleur
I have Salvia somalensis and it looks identical.

[Fleur Pavlidis]

Can you please both tell me, now that flowering is over are you cutting the plants back and do they thus become less leggy?

[pamela]

Hello Fleur,
I haven't cut it back yet....its too early for me and I want to take some cuttings in late Aug. Its not looking particularly leggy in fact its looking great, and all the side shoots are coming. I will wait and see.

[Bracey]

It's getting quite huge and we've not cut it back yet but probably will do so in the fall.  Cheers, Bracey

[Janet Ibbotson]

Can anyone tell me what this Salvia is. It grows wild on Skopelos particularly on barren, rocky slopes on the Eastern side of the island.  I have searched but could not find anything quite like it.

[John]

I can't see much detail but it must be Salvia pomifera.

[Janet Ibbotson]

I hadn't realised a small jpeg would be so small.  Unfortunately I don't have any close up photographs with me.  I will check S. pomifera and if I'm still in doubt I'll get a better picture.  Thank you.

[JTh]

You don't necessarily need a close-up here, I'm sure your original photo is much bigger. When you save it for the forum, the image size may be up to 760 x 560 pixels, yours was only 320 x 240 pixels. You have also compressed it too much, it is only 34.9 kb, closer to 250 kb would have been more useful.

[ezeiza]

What an interesting shape for a border among other plants. Does it flower for long?