SALVIA chamaedryoides 'Isochroma'

Small evergreen bush, native to Mexico it has a classic compact, cushion-like habit. A high rate of growth, it can easily reach 40 cm height maximum of and 60 cm width maximum. Branched from the base, it has thin lignified stems at the bottom and herbaceous ones in the apical parts; these branches bear small leaves, opposite and elliptical, which are brilliant silvery-grey and intensely aromatic. Between late spring and autumn, the plant is covered with small blue flowers, gathered in short inflorescences at the apex of the branches.

Easy and low maintenance plant. It needs a sunny and bright position; in the shade the plant grows less healthy and blooms more slowly. It is suitable to any type of soil even if it prefers medium and well-drained ones. It tolerates drought but benefits from sporadic watering in summer. It tolerates frost but it is best placed in a location sheltered from cold winds. In spring a light pruning of the tops of the stems may be necessary because, because giving the plant a neater shape stimulates both its growth and thickness. Given its small size, this plant can be grown in pots or in large containers; in the open ground it can be used with other contrasting foliage and flowering shrubs, or it can also be used to create low and colored borders.