Salvia splendens
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Salvia brasiliensis
- Phonetic Spelling
- SAL-vee-ah SPLEN-denz
- Description
-
Scarlet sage is a tender perennial in the mint family (Lamiaceae) native to Brazil that is grown as an annual in North Carolina. It grows from 1 to 3 feet high and 8 to 10 inches wide. The specific epithet is Latin for “splendid.”
This low-maintenance plant prefers full sun to part shade and well-drained soil. It is not drought-tolerant, but it needs warmth. It can also be grown in containers, alone or in combination with other flowering annuals and perennials. Propagate scarlet sage by stem cuttings or seeds. Do not cover the seeds, as they need light to germinate.
Flowers are typically red, and bloom a long time, from summer to frost. Cultivars are available in various shades of red, pink, purple, lavender and white. Scarlet sage flowers are extra-colorful because the calyx is as colorful as the corolla. The tubular, showy flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds, but many of the cultivars bred for bedding have no nectar and are not a useful resource for pollinators.
Scarlet sage is a classic bedding annual, and it is widely used in commercial bedding displays. Home gardeners can use scarlet sage in the middle of beds or borders or use their bright cherry red blooms to provide an accent in a cottage or pollinator garden. The flowers can also add interest indoors if scarlet sage is added to a cutting garden. Compact selections are good for edging and in containers.
Quick ID
- Terminal clusters of scarlet, pink, white or purple flowers
- Calyx is two-lipped and colorful
- Corolla is elongate-tubular, upper lobes overtop lower
- Opposite ovate leaves extend from square twigs
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: In the landscape, scarlet sage is relatively pest-free. Potential problems for scarlet sage in greenhouse production include damping-off of seedlings, powdery mildew, botrytis, aphids, spider mites and whiteflies.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Paul J Ciener Botanical Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Hotline Improved Group
Red, white and purple selections are available | 12 inches tall - 'Lighthouse Red'
Classic red bedding annual. - 'Sangria'
Compact plants with white calyces & red corollas. - 'St. John's Fire'
- 'Van Houttei'
Tender shrub with large red flowers. - Vista™ Group
Red, white, pink, lavender & purple cultivars available | 12 inches tall | heat tolerant
- Hotline Improved Group
- Hotline Improved Group, 'Lighthouse Red', 'Sangria', 'St. John's Fire', 'Van Houttei', Vista™ Group
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Hotline Improved Group
Red, white and purple selections are available | 12 inches tall - 'Lighthouse Red'
Classic red bedding annual. - 'Sangria'
Compact plants with white calyces & red corollas. - 'St. John's Fire'
- 'Van Houttei'
Tender shrub with large red flowers. - Vista™ Group
Red, white, pink, lavender & purple cultivars available | 12 inches tall | heat tolerant
- Hotline Improved Group
- Hotline Improved Group, 'Lighthouse Red', 'Sangria', 'St. John's Fire', 'Van Houttei', Vista™ Group
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Salvia
- Species:
- splendens
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Brazil
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 0 ft. 10 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Black
- Fruit Type:
- Schizocarp
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Schizocarp has 4 lobes that separate into 4 single-seeded nutlets.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Raceme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Fall
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Colored Sepals
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are most commonly red to scarlet, but other colors are available. Calyx scarlet, zygomorphic, 2-lipped, persisting in fruit with color fading; corolla scarlet, elongate tubular, to 1.3 inches long, ephemeral, short-lived, upper lobes longer than lower lobes. Inflorescence is a terminal verticillate raceme bearing whorls of 2-6-flowered clusters.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Crenate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- opposite, petiolate, ovate, crenate, short acuminate, rotund to subcordate, glabrate
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Description:
- Erect, 8-30" tall square stems
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Container
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Accent
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Pollinators
