About Salvia thymoides Benth.
Salvia thymoides Benth. is an evergreen perennial shrub. It is native to a small region of Mexico on the border between the states of Oaxaca and Puebla, where it grows at elevations between 7,000 feet (2,100 m) and 9,000 feet (2,700 m). Its native habitat is cloud forest, where the mountains receive regular moisture from fog and rain. This species was formally named by botanist George Bentham in 1833. Its specific epithet, thymoides, refers to its small leaves that resemble the leaves of thyme. Salvia thymoides has limited use in horticulture, and was introduced into cultivation in the 1980s. It is an upright plant that grows to 1 foot (0.30 m) in both height and width. Its evergreen grey-green leaves measure 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) long, and cover the plant profusely. Its purple-blue flowers are 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) long, and are held in a small dark purple calyx. The flowers grow in whorls, arranged on a short inflorescence that is 2 inches (5.1 cm) long.
