FoI
Himalayan Blue Sage
Share Foto info
Himalayan Blue Sage
ative Photo: Pravin Kawale
Common name: Himalayan Blue Sage • Nepali: ग्वालपानी Gwalpani
Botanical name: Salvia hians    Family: Lamiaceae (Mint family)

Himalayan Blue Sage is a short-lived perennial from the Himalayas which has scented, hairy leaves and forms a small shrub 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide. It bears 4 cm long deep-blue flowers with white lips called bee lines. The species name hians means gaping, and refers to the gaping mouth of the flowers. Flowers are borne in tiers of whorls on a flower spike. The flowers have rusty colored sepal cups at their base, with two shallow lips. Overall, the plant is a robust sticky perennial herb, and sports large ovate-heart- shaped or arrow-shaped leaves, up to 25 cm or more, with rounded teeth. The plant grows to about 1-3 ft tall. Himalayan Blue Sage is commonly found in forests, shrubberies and open slopes in the Himalayas at altitudes of 2400-4000 m. Flowering: June-September.

Identification credit: Nongthombam Ullysess Photographed in Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand & Bhaderwah, J&K.

• Is this flower misidentified? If yes,