Salvia tiliifolia aka Lindenleaf Sage

Salvia tiliifolia, or Tarahumara chia, belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. Its native range runs from Texas through Mexico and Central America to Peru. It also grows wild in Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Kew places it in the seasonally dry tropical climate zone. Its habitats include wet and dry thickets, fields, and stream edges. It also occurs in oak and pine forests. Most records place it between 3,940 feet [1,200 metres] and 9,190 feet [2,800 metres]. Some plants grow at lower sites.

This herb can grow as an annual or perennial. Its upright stems branch freely from a rhizomatous rootstock. Useful Tropical Plants lists a height of about 2.5 feet [0.75 metres]. Its fuller account gives an upper height of 3.3 feet [1 metre]. It has little frost tolerance. In colder parts of its range, it often grows as an annual. Gardeners sometimes grow it for ornament. Bees and butterflies visit its flowers and serve as pollinators.

For cultivation, give it sun and light, sandy soil. The soil should be rich and drain very well. Too much winter moisture can kill the plant. Its wild habitats span both wet and dry sites. That range does not remove its need for good drainage in gardens. It can become a weed in farmed ground, including coffee plantations. This is a reported local weed habit, not evidence of invasive spread everywhere.

Seeds provide its main recorded food use. People roast and grind them, then soak them in water for a drink. Some preparations also include barley water. Markets in Mexico sometimes sell the seeds. Useful Tropical Plants reports no known hazards for this species. That statement does not establish that every plant part is safe to eat. The same source records use of the herb and leaves against head lice. It does not supply evidence of clinical safety or effectiveness.

Propagation is possible from seed or half-ripe cuttings. Sow seed under glass in March or April. Germination takes about two weeks under the stated method. Move seedlings into separate pots once large enough to handle. Plant them outside in late spring or early summer. Half-ripe cuttings can take during much of the growing season.