California Chia

[William Schlegel]

I like growing the native California chia species.

Good chance for volunteers again this year. Would like to make and plant a new area, but not my top priority. Will probably plant at least a tiny patch though.

Basically I found out I could grow Salvia columbariae and Salvia carduacea here in Montana in 2016 when I brought home a seed packet of columbariae from my container garden at my apartment in California. Then I requested from USDA ARS GRIN and purchased just about all available germplasm in 2017.

Found lots of variation in Salvia columbariae.

Basically this is a native pollinator plant that produces edible and healthy seed and can be grown way outside of its range.

[Joseph Lofthouse]

William's Salvia columbariae also grows in my garden. It has not naturalized, because my cultivation practices do not favor naturalizing.

[William Schlegel]

Planted Salvia columbariae and Salvia carduaceae again today. Had already planted some in pots in the greenhouse, germination is spotty in the greenhouse perhaps because its mostly 2017 grown seed but also perhaps because conditions are not ideal. I probably have a little bit of more recent seed stashed somewhere. 

Hopefully I can grow a nice crop of seed for 2024.