Sage Can you tell me White vs Silver the differance?

[Anonymous]

I have two sage bushes growing in the back yard on purchased at a CNPS sale from the Placer area and one from the local Farmers Market. Both are doing fine yet one is far more aromatic than the other. Both are similar in color and shape. Can you quide me to finding the biotanical names of each? Rose Laskey in Sacramento.</p>

[Anonymous]

Rose,Those great aromas are characteristic of the Salvia Sages, and so make it impossible to determine identities, based upon one being more aromatic than the other. You are aware that Sages come from a variety of counties, states, countries, and continents-and it is quite likely that the one you purchased at the farmers market is the European variety, Salvia officinalis. It is a common herb used in cooking and so is often sold at farmer's markets.The second is impossible to even guess since you have included no description either of the plant itself, the flower color, size of plant, etc. Even so it would be near impossible to say for sure without seeing it. I would contact the chapter of CNPS that was having the plant sale, get the number of the plant sales person, and ask which sages they sold that day. And so the list is narrowed and you are more likely to find the actual ID. They might even help you find out or help you guess. Also find out the next meeting of the local CNPS chapter and attend with a cutting of the plants in question. Quite likely someone will know it.Best of luck,DanPS. A great book in this regard is Besty Clebsch's publication, I think it may be simply titled something like Sages for the garden or something.Pictures often help the non-botanist.</p>