Mediterranean sage
(Salvia aethiopis)
Mediterranean sage is an erect, coarse, biennial or short-lived perennial, with a stout taproot. First-year rosettes are blue-green and are covered with woolly white hairs. Second-year plants produce more leaves with a flowering stem. Leaves have a pungent odor when crushed. The flower stem can grow 2 to 3 feet tall and branch 2 to 3 feet wide resembling a candelabra. The stem breaks off in the fall and forms a tumbleweed dispersing thousands of seeds. Mature plants can produce 100,000 seeds each. The flowers are white to yellowish-white and appear in clusters.
Check out the NEW document: History of Med Sage in Colorado.
Access the EDDMapS distribution map for Mediterranean sage in Colorado by clicking the image below.
Access the USGS INHABIT suitability model for Mediterranean sage in Colorado by clicking the image below.
INHABIT is an online tool created by the USGS that provides species distribution models for various invasive plant species. The models associate known occurrences of a species with environmental characteristics to create maps that predict habitat suitability, and these maps can be used to assess the potential spread of noxious weeds. Learn more about INHABIT: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/fort-collins-science-center/science/inhabit-a-web-based-decision-support-tool-invasive