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Salvia cyanescens

Turkish Lilac Sage

Family LamiaceaeGenus Salvia

A spike of violet-blue two-lipped flowers rising from a rosette of silvery woolly leaves in a clay pot, on a nursery bench of potted plants.
The whole plantpeganum from Henfield, EnglandCC BY-SA 2.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Flower
Purple-violetWikipedia
Native range
TürkiyeGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Cyanescens means "bluish", which does not quite fit its purple-violet flowers. This sage of Iran and Turkey was introduced to horticulture in 1959, and in the wild it hybridizes freely with Salvia candidissima. Wikipedia: Salvia cyanescens

This source reports 4 treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

No stated waiting before sowing.

26% germination.

Outdoors beats every bench treatment Deno tried.

This source doesn't state how long step 1 lasts.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, SalviaPublic domain
Show the original text
Salvia (Lamiaceae). S. cyanescens germ. 70L(11% in 3-14 d), 70D(2%), 40(4% in 4-8 w)-70(18% in 2-10 d), and 26% in outdoor treatment.'
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Salvia. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 26, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

    4%, over 4-8 weeks.

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C

    A further 18%, in 2-10 days.

Germination happens during step 2, in 10 days.

18% germination in 2–10 days.

4% in the cold, then 18% after the move -- better than sowing warm outright.

This source doesn't state how long step 1 lasts.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, SalviaPublic domain
Show the original text
Salvia (Lamiaceae). S. cyanescens germ. 70L(11% in 3-14 d), 70D(2%), 40(4% in 4-8 w)-70(18% in 2-10 d), and 26% in outdoor treatment.'
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Salvia. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 22, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow on the surface — do not cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 14 days to germinate.

11% germination in 3–14 days.

11% in light against 2% in dark.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, SalviaPublic domain
Show the original text
Salvia (Lamiaceae). S. cyanescens germ. 70L(11% in 3-14 d), 70D(2%), 40(4% in 4-8 w)-70(18% in 2-10 d), and 26% in outdoor treatment.'
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Salvia. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

No stated waiting before sowing. Germination time not stated; 21 days assumed.

2% germination.

2%. The worst of the four.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, SalviaPublic domain
Show the original text
Salvia (Lamiaceae). S. cyanescens germ. 70L(11% in 3-14 d), 70D(2%), 40(4% in 4-8 w)-70(18% in 2-10 d), and 26% in outdoor treatment.'
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Salvia. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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