About Salvia sessei Benth.
Salvia sessei Benth. is a perennial plant that grows in multiple states in central Mexico. It inhabits elevations between 600 and 7,000 feet, growing along the edges of pine forests and woodlands. This species was first collected by Spanish botanist Martín Sessé y Lacasta and Mexican-born Spanish naturalist José Mariano Mociño. Both collectors took part in the Royal Botanical Expedition of 1777, which was dispatched by King Charles III of Spain to Guatemala and Mexico. Salvia sessei is a large shrub. In its native habitat, it can grow as tall as 15 feet; when grown in cultivation, it reaches only half that height. Its fresh green deltoid leaves vary in size, typically measuring between 2 and 5 inches long. Its flowers are a mix of soft red and chartreuse, similar in color to the flowers of Salvia regla. This plant is very sensitive to frost.
