*Red Scarlet Sage 'Salvia Coccinea'.

'Salvia coccinea' is one of about 900 species in the genus Salvia. It is just one of dozens of sages grown as garden ornamentals. As both its scientific name of coccinea (meaning “scarlet dyed”) and common names of scarlet sage and blood sage suggest, this herbaceous perennial in the mint family (Lamiaceae) has bright red flowers. (Beware of common names – another species, S. splendens, is also sometimes called scarlet sage, but these are very different plants; S. coccinea is also occasionally referred to as Texas sage or tropical sage, both those names are used for other species, too.)

Probably native to Mexico, it is widespread throughout the Southeastern US, through Central America, and in northwestern South America (Columbia, Peru and Brazil). It is the only native US sage with red flowers. S. coccinea is hardy in zones 9 and 10, and will reseed readily in zones 6 to 8, but is easily grown as an annual in cooler climates.

Scarlet sage is an vase-shaped to upright subshrub in its native range but because it is fast growing it also makes a good bedding plant in colder areas where it is not hardy. Plants grow 2-4 feet tall and up to 2 ½ feet wide, branching readily.