Salvia argentea (Silver Sage) is a clump-forming biennial or short-lived perennial that is native to the Mediterranean area (southern Europe to northern Africa). Unlike most salvias, plants of this species are grown primarily for their large, woolly leaves and not for their flowers. In the first year, this sage features a large rosette of soft, felt-like, broad-oval, downy, wrinkled, silver-gray leaves (to 8″ long by 6″ wide) that form an attractive foliage mound to 12″ tall and to 20″ wide. Leaves emerge silver-white in spring but gradually mature to silver-gray to greenish-gray as the summer progresses. In the second year, silver flower spikes rise well above the foliage to 2-3′ tall, topped with tubular, hooded, white flowers that are tinged with pink. Flowers bloom in early summer and can be cut off before seed set to prolong its life in the garden.