Black Sage Making a Comeback

While on a quick hike with the dogs and hubby at Griffith Park yesterday, I noticed how beautiful the black salvia (Salvia mellifera) looked. It's re-emerging with a vengeance from a summer/fall slumber.

The leathery, textural, medium-green leaves that had gone a little crispy to conserve energy and water are plump once again. And new leaves are appearing on brown branches.

Other favorites making a resurgence include: Ribes, Rhus, Artemisia, Romneya and more. With the clear, cool air to entice us out of our cocoons, there is no excuse not to explore the open air galleries (parks, botanic gardens) of California plant life, which works in concert with our special climate. When other parts of the country see little to no green this time of year, here in our state, rain and cooler temps are re-awakening so many indigenous species.