| Description | Salvia splendens ABC's (Salvia) Often called Scarlet Sage is a clump-forming, tender perennial that typically is grown as annual. Cultivars come in an array of colors and sizes. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (SAL-vee-ah)(SPLEN-denz) |
| Plant Type | Annuals, Perennial Tender, Site author's observations |
| Hardiness Zone | 10-11 |
| Sunlight | full, mostly sunny, some shade |
| Moisture | average |
| Soil & Site | average |
| Flowers | tubular flowers tightly packed on the raceme with colorful bracts, red, burgundy, scarlet, salmon, purple, rose, white, bicolor, etc., |
| Leaves | dark green, heart-shaped |
| Stems | square |
| Roots | fibrous |
| Dimensions | depending on the cultivar from 1-2 feet or taller |
| Maintenance | When to deadhead can be a little confusing. I wait until the florets on the raceme are all faded and starting to fall. They fade from the bottom to the top. How long do you wait is your choice, since the ornamental value of the flower will last along time if you do not mind the color is faded. You will need to use scissors or pruning shears to cut off the inflorescence. At this point, the plant may be flowerless for a period of time, but the small flowers growing in the axis of the leaves will some start blooming. |
| Propagation | seeds |
| Native Site | Brazil. |
| Cultivar Origin | Introduced by Mr. Lee from Hammersmiths Nursery. This was probably the start of Salvia as a garden plant. Salvia splendens was first described and named in 1822. At that time it was given the common name Lee's scarlet sage |
| Misc Facts | The genus name Salvia comes from the Latin word salveo meaning "to save or heal", in reference to the purported medically curative properties attributed to some plants in the genus Genus means splendid. .AKA: Red Salvia, Firecracker plant, Scarlet Sage, Lee's Scarlet Sage, SYN: Salvia brasiliensis, Salvia colorans |
| Author's Notes | I have grown hundreds of Salvia splendens in personal and commercial gardens, Easy to grow, great color show. |
| Notes & Reference | #87-The New Book of Salvias (Betsy Clebsch), #40-Herbaceous Ornamental Plants (Steven Stills) |
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