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Glite Dictionary
Salvia spathacea

Salvia spathacea

9.9
A California wild sage with fragrant leaves and bright pink flowers
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Salvia spathacea
  • Gardeners plant Salvia spathacea to attract hummingbirds and pollinators to their yards.

Examples

  • Salvia spathacea is known for its striking magenta flowers and aromatic leaves, making it a favorite among gardeners in California.

  • The drought-tolerant Salvia spathacea is a popular choice for native California gardens.

  • Salvia spathacea thrives in coastal California and is valued for its fragrant leaves and vibrant flowers.

  • The Salvia spathacea blooms beautifully in the spring.

  • Many gardeners love Salvia spathacea for its vibrant colors.

  • Many California gardeners choose to plant Salvia spathacea because it attracts a variety of pollinators to their gardens.

  • The fragrant blooms of Salvia spathacea can be seen lining the paths of many native plant gardens throughout coastal California.

Synonyms

pitcher sage
vsSalvia spathacea
  • Specialized
9.5

A California plant with woolly stems and large white flowers

is the precise species with erect stems and magenta fragrant flowers

Surface Forms

Salvia spathacea singular
Salvia spathaceas plural

Morphology

salvia + spathacea

This is a Latin binomial (genus + specific epithet), so a learner who knows 'salvia' can transparently infer it denotes a kind of sage; however the second element 'spathacea' is a specialized/Latin epithet whose specific descriptive meaning is not accessible to an average B1 learner. Thus the overall label as a species is derivable but the detailed sense is not, giving partial transparency.

Etymology

Salvia spathacea may come from old words that describe the plant: Salvia was a word for 'healing' and the sage plants, and spathacea refers to a leaf-like part that 'wraps the flowers'. So the name fits this fragrant sage whose leaves seem to hug its bright flowers.