Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Salvia farinacea

Salvia farinacea

9.4
A sage plant from Texas and nearby Mexico with bright blue flowers
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : salvia farinácea
  • The garden center recommended planting Salvia farinacea for a splash of vibrant blue color in summer.

Examples

  • Unlike many sages, Salvia farinacea can thrive in hot, dry Texas climates.

  • Bees and butterflies are often attracted to the blossoms of Salvia farinacea.

  • I planted Salvia farinacea in my garden this spring.

  • Have you seen the beautiful Salvia farinacea blooming?

  • The garden center recommended planting Salvia farinacea for its intensely blue flowers.

  • Bees and butterflies are often attracted to the blossoms of Salvia farinacea.

  • Unlike many sages, Salvia farinacea flourishes in the hot, dry Texas climate.

Synonyms

mealy sage
vsSalvia farinacea
  • Specialized
9.5

A small plant with spikes of bright blue flowers and gray-green leaves

is the same plant but called regionally and noted for intense blue flowers
blue sage
vsSalvia farinacea
  • US
6.1

A plant with blue flowers that smells pleasant and grows in North America

is the Texas and adjacent Mexico species rather than a broad North American type

Surface Forms

Salvia farinacea singular
Salvia farinaceas plural

Morphology

salvia + farinacea

The form is a Linnaean binomial: 'Salvia' clearly identifies the genus (a sage), so a learner who knows the constituents can infer it names a kind of sage. However the specific epithet 'farinacea' is a Latin descriptor (literally 'mealy'/'floury') and does not convey the full species-specific information (native range, intense blue flowers) to a typical B1 learner, so the meaning is only partially predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Salvia farinacea comes from old Latin words: Salvia meaning 'sage' and farinacea meaning 'powdery' or 'mealy'. Think of a 'powdery sage' with dusty leaves and bright blue flowers from Texas, so the name describes this species and helps you remember it.