About Salvia leucantha Cav.
Salvia leucantha Cav., commonly called Mexican bush sage, is a herbaceous perennial plant native to subtropical and tropical conifer forests in central and eastern Mexico. Its flowers are typically white, growing out from colored bracts. This species is not frost hardy, but it is commonly cultivated in warmer regions for its prominent arching velvety blue or purple inflorescences. It reaches up to 1.3 m (4.3 ft) in height and 2 m (6.6 ft) in width, producing numerous erect stems that often arch at their tips, and bears long inflorescences. Its leaves are linear-lanceolate, a soft mid-green color, with whitish, hairy undersides.
Grown as an ornamental garden plant, Salvia leucantha has earned the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It is a low-maintenance plant that grows best in full sun and moist, well-drained soils. Its flowers attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
A recent analysis of the essential oil of S. leucantha found the oil is rich in sesquiterpene hydrocarbons, specifically β-caryophyllene, α-guaiene, cis-muurola-3,5-diene, germacrene D, and bicyclogermacrene. Bornyl acetate made up 23.9% of the analyzed essential oil.
