I was wondering if anyone knows if this plant could be grown in Florida in a container outdoors?
I am thinking as long as I try and give it full sun as much as possible and move it to an area that is protected from rain it will be ok?
I am not sure if air humidity will cause rots and disease?
I have a book about plant physiology and although this may seem off topic the book made a point about trying to grow this one desert species in a coastal location and trying to grow a coastal species in a hot desert location. In the test plots both species died when they were introduced into either extreme which they are not used to growing in.
This had something to do with ecotypes. Ecotypes are species that are suited to a particular microclimate and has to do with their genetic makeup. Most times they are subspecies of the same species and very specific as to which habitat they will grow in.
Salvia apiana seems like it can be grown even in coastal washington state as long as the soil is extremely well drained.
It is quite adaptable. It is native to coastal California but even does well in desert areas including Phoenix,Arizona.
It may require more water in the hot desert. I am not sure.
It wont tolerate temperatures below 15-20 degrees F however.
I am thinking even though Florida gets more rainfall it may even do well in parts of Ocala national forest.
There are Yucca and cacti in some areas. The soil tends to be poor for nutrients and sandy where the yucca and cacti grow.
A long time ago some parts of Florida used to be almost desert like.
That doesnt suprize me since florida is on the desert line. Sahara, Chihuahuan, Indian desert..etc fall on the same line.
I forget the degrees above of below the equator but the same is true for the other deserts like namib desert, australian desert, chile desert..etc.
Look at a map and florida should be desert.
have you found an answer? i live in florida but alas S. divinorum is illegal here but will it grow here? p.s. you metioned occala i live about 20 mins away from the park there so if you have any info maybe we can help each other out