Mealy sage

A few of these pretty blue/purple flowers are popping up along the creek bed. I saw many of them blooming along the Guadalupe River in Ingram, Texas during May and June but they disappeared when the temperature reached triple digits. I have not seen any of them blooming here on the ranch since we arrived in July... until now. Among all the Central Texas wildflowers, these are one of my favorite.

Salvia farinacea var. Benth. is commonly known as Mealy Sage, Mealy Blue Sage, or Mealycup Sage.

Salvia farinacea is a member of the Lamiaceae (mint) family. Salvia is the largest genus of the plants in the mint family with approximately 900 species. It is one of the three genera commonly referred to as sage.

The name is derived from the Latin salvere ("to save" or "salvation"), referring to the long-believed healing properties of salvia. "Mealy" means covered with powdery meal, "cup" is in reference to the calyx shape and "farinacea" comes from the Latin word for flour or meal.

Native to Texas and Mexico it is classified as a herbaceous perennial. It blooms from April-September and grows in mounds from 1-5 ft. high. Leaves are long, narrow, lance-like, and grown near the bottom of the plant. The shiny green leaves distinguish it from other types of salvia. Dark-blue to white, tubular flowers are densely congested in whorls along upper stems. This particular salvia is native to areas with rocky outcroppings, limestone prairies, caliche soils, and hillsides. growing best on thin, limestone soils. Grows in sun to partial shade. Very drought tolerant. Attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Salvia has been used as a medicinal and culinary herb throughout the ages (although I have not been able to find any specific references to the use of this particular variety).