Be confident before you buy!

Given the easy care requirements for growing a live Salvia plant, buying one to grow yourself  is a good option. Though Salvia divinorum leaf/extract products are easy enough to find online, getting your hands on a live plant is not.  The few reputable vendors that exist rarely have them in stock and the legendary ethnobotanical plant nursery, Theatrum Botanicum, is no longer around (though I see an awful lot of web pages linking to them at www.greenstranger.com). Few Salvia growers have a consistent supply, and often their plants are poor quality (wimpy and soft upon arrival). This article is to help the new Salvia plant buyer avoid unnecessary frustration and wasted money.

3 Tips for buying live Salvia divinorum plants online

1.) Make sure you are buying a hardy plant that is at least 2-3 months old.

The vendor should be upfront about the age of the plants in the product description. Salvia divinorum has delicate stems that can snap and break easily in shipping, especially with plants that are very young.   It’s best if the plants have “hardened off” (i.e. grown with good air circulation and the diurnal fluctuation of warmer day and cooler night temperatures.)  2-3 months is a reasonable amount of time for the plant to develop strong and firm main stems. That’s what will keep it from breaking during shipping.

2.) Do not by unrooted cuttings!

Unless you are a plant propagation expert who has a greenhouse and an automatic misting bench, buying unrooted cuttings will most likely end in tears. Vendors are happy to sell them to you because they don’t take much time to produce, and they are usually out of established plants- plus they are a good deal! But don’t be fooled.

The problem with unrooted cuttings is they are so dehydrated, they don’t readily take up water.  If this happens to you, immediately pinch off the soft growing tip to the first semi-firm node.  Then, cut the bottom to just below the next healthy node (like with cut flowers).  Doing this will reduce the rate of transpiration in the leaves and allow the cutting to take up water through the stem tissue and rehydrate itself.

“Rooted cuttings,” on the other hand are an okay option, if you have the ability to put more effort into caring for them, and they are still a good deal.  Only get unrooted cuttings from your friend down the street and stick them right away, not through mail-order.

3.) Before you buy from a Salvia vendor, read their customer feedback!

Seems like a no brainer, but sometimes we are in such a rush and everything looks okay, we just hand over our credit card (I’ve done it!). First, make sure the vendor has a good return/exchange policy and  research the reviews on the internet. You can find lots of good information  in Salvia forums across the internet, like forum.salviadivinorumblog.com for example.  Some vendors have a user comments section on their website too, but don’t rely on testimonials alone. Given the price you pay for a live plant, the vendor should make sure you receive it and are satisfied with it.  Be wary of sellers who say that any damage from shipping is not their fault. Look for those that offer delivery confirmation and/or a tracking number as well.