{{Short description|Species of shrub}} {{Speciesbox |image = Salvia longispicata.jpg |taxon = Salvia longispicata |authority = M.Martens & Galeotti<ref name="GRIN">{{GRIN | access-date=2013-07-22}}</ref> }}
'''''Salvia longispicata''''' is a perennial shrub native to southwestern Mexico, growing between {{convert|1000|and|6500|ft|m|-2}} elevation. The specific epithet "longispicata" gives the impression that the plant has "long spikes", but instead refers to the many projecting clusters of short flowering spikes that resemble small ears of corn.<ref name="Clebsch">{{cite book|last1=Clebsch|first1=Betsy|last2=Barner|first2=Carol D.|title=The New Book of Salvias|publisher=Timber Press|date=2003|page=178|isbn=978-0-88192-560-9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NM0iwB8GrQYC&pg=PA178}}</ref>
''Salvia longispicata'' is a large, fast growing ''Salvia'', reaching {{convert|4|to|5|ft|m|1}} high and {{convert|3|to|4|ft|m|1}} wide in one season. While not particularly showy, it has unusual dark purple flowers and an upright habit—both qualities are valued by salvia hybridizers. The mid-green ovate leaves are many sizes, and connected to the petiole at the broader end. Small - less than {{convert|0.5|in|cm|0}} - dark purple flowers begin appearing in summer and bloom into late autumn. The pale green calyces are about the same length as the flower. The {{convert|6|to|8|in|cm|0}} inflorescences have tight whorls of flowers, which do not rise above the foliage as many other species of ''Salvia'' do.<ref name="Clebsch"/>
thumb|''Salvia farinacea'' x ''Salvia longispicata'' "Mystic Spires Blue' In 1979 a spontaneous sterile hybrid was found at Huntington Library that was believed to be from a cross between ''Salvia longispicata'' and ''S. farinacea''. It was introduced as the highly popular ''Salvia farinacea'' × ''longispicata'' 'Indigo Spires'.<ref name="Clebsch"/> Other cultivars of this hybrid include 'Mystic Spires Blue'.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://texassuperstar.com/plants/salviamysticspires/index.html |title=Mystic Spires Blue Salvia |publisher=Texas Superstar |access-date=2013-07-22}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q7406820}}
longispicata Category:Plants described in 1844 Category:Flora of Mexico Category:Taxa named by Henri Guillaume Galeotti Category:Taxa named by Martin Martens
{{Salvia-stub}}