(Scarlet)
(Mealycup)
Common name: Salvia, Sage
Family: Lamiaceae, Mint
Height x width: 8"-3' x 6-12"
Growth rate: moderate
Foliage: entire to variously cut or toothed, opposite, 1-3" long, leaves of some species pubescent
Flowers: whorls, often closely spaced, on spike-like racemes 6-10" long; usually terminal; many colors depending on species
Hardiness: annual
Soil: well-drained, moist
Light: sun to part shade in zones 8-9
Pests and problems: damping-off of seedlings, powdery and downy mildews, botrytis blight, aphids, spider mites, whiteflies (insects mainly pests in greenhouses)
Landscape habit, uses: massing, borders, containers, accent effect from bright colors, cut flowers
Other interest: genus from Latin salveo meaning to heal, refering to supposed medicinal properties of some species
Other culture: remove old flower stalks (deadhead) for continued bloom
Propagation: seed or overwinter from tip cuttings
Species:
Of the over 900 species, most being perennial at least to zones 7-9, the following are the most common annual ones seen in commerce. Many of the tender perennial species are becoming popular as annuals in the north.
barrelieri (bair-rel-ee-air' ii)(bicolor)--Bicolor Salvia, native to northern Africa, hardy to zone 8, white and light violet bicolor, 24-34" tall, biennial
coccinea (cock-sin' ee'ah)-- Scarlet or Texas Salvia, native to southern U.S. and South America, hardy in zone 9; bright red flowers to 1" long in whorls on terminal spike to 10" followed later in the season with shorter secondary spikes from the leaf axils; 15,000 seeds per ounce (photo: cv. Spanish Dancer)
elegans (ell-e-gans')--Pineapple Sage, native to Mexico, hardy to zones 7-8, bright red flowers 1½" long in 4-flowered whorls on 4" terminal spike in late summer; leaves when crushed have pineapple fragrance and are used in drinks, jams and jellies
farinacea (fair-eh-naa' cee-ah)--Mealycup Sage, native to Texas, hardy to zone 7, violet blue or white flowers ½" long in terminal spikes to 10" long, plants 2-3' tall (photo: cv. Victoria blue and white)
guaranitica (gar' an-it' eh-cah)-- Blue Anise Sage, native to Brazil and So. America, hardy to zone 7, leaves ovate and pointed and slightly hairy but don't smell of anise, blue flowers sometimes with almost black sepals, 3-6ft tall (photo: cv. Black and Blue)
hormium: viridis
patens (pa-tens')--Gentian Sage, native to Mexico, hardy to zone 8, 1-2½' tall, blue flowers 1½-2" long in 2-flowered whorls to 15" long
splendens (splen-dens')--Scarlet Sage, native to South America, annual, 8"-30" tall, 1-1½" flowers in densely packed whorls on terminal spikes to 8" long, primarily red but other colors available (photo: cv. Red Hot Sally)
viridis (vir-i-diss')(hormium)--Painted Sage, native to
southern Europe, to 1½' tall; flowers white, purple or blue ½"
long on terminal spikes; colored bracts are parts of interest
Cultivars:
| Cultivars | species | flowers | height | other |
| 'America' ('Globe of Fire') | splendens | red | 26" | |
| 'Argent' | farinacea | white | 18" | |
| 'Blaze of Fire' | splendens | red | 16" | |
| 'Blue Bedder' | farinacea | blue | 18" | |
| 'Bonfire' ('Clara Bedman') | splendens | scarlet | 24" | |
| 'Cambridge Blue' | patens | light blue | 24-30" | |
| Carabiniere series | splendens | blue, red | 10-12" | stocky, later |
| 'Cherry Blossom' | coccinea | cherry red | 24" | |
| Claryssa hybrids | viridis | pink, white, purple | 18" | broad bracts |
| 'Cleopatra Mix' | splendens | 6 color mix | 12" | |
| 'Coral Nymph' | coccinea | salmon, white bicolor | 24" | Fleuroselect award |
| Empire series (photo: cv. Empire Purple) | splendens | 6 colors | 12-15" | uniform |
| 'Flare' | splendens | scarlet | 18" | self-cleans, mounded |
| 'Fuego' | splendens | scarlet | 8" | |
| Hotline series | splendens | 5 colors | 15" | early |
| 'Lady in Red' | coccinea | bright red | 20-24" | hummingbirds like |
| 'Laser Purple' | splendens | deep purple | 10-12" | resists fading |
| 'Maroccana' | barrelieri | blue, white bicolor | 24-34" | spikes branch |
| 'Melba' | splendens | salmon, pink bicolor | 8-9" | |
| 'Oxford Blue' | viridis | blue | 24-30" | broad bracts |
| 'Phoenix Mix' | splendens | 6 colors, pastels | 12-24" | |
| 'Pink Sundae' ('Pink Sunday') | viridis | rose-pink, ¼" | 24-30" | |
| 'Red Arrow' | splendens | red | 12" | |
| 'Red Hot Sally' | splendens | red | 10" | |
| 'Red Pillar' ('Hot Jazz') | splendens | red | 14-18" | dark green leaves |
| 'Red Vista' | splendens | red | 12" | early |
| 'Rhea' | farinacea | dark blue | 14-16" | early, low |
| Salsa series | splendens | 5 colors | 12-14" | |
| 'Sea Breeze' | farinacea | sea blue | 18" | silvery stems |
| 'Silver White' | farinacea | white | 18" | |
| Sizzler series | splendens | 5 colors | 12" | early, for less humid |
| 'Snow Nymph' | coccinea | white | 24" | dark green leaves |
| 'Splendens' | splendens | scarlet | 36" | |
| 'Splendissima' | splendens | red | 8-12" | tolerates humidity |
| 'St. John's Fire' | splendens | scarlet-red | 12" | |
| 'Strata' | farinacea | blue | 18-24" | silvery stems |
| 'Top Burgundy' | splendens | dark red | 12" | early |
| Victoria hybrids | farinacea | blue or white | 18" | |
| 'White Porcelain' | farinacea | white | 18" |
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