(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
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
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
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 | 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" | ||
Return to HGPO
course | PSS123 course