Xeriscape Landscaping Plants For The Arizona Desert Environment
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Annuals

Cherry Red Sage, Salvia coccinea

Cherry Red Sage, Salvia coccinea, February 24, 2008. Summer Winds Nursery, Glendale Arizona.

Cherry Red Sage Leaves	Salvia coccinea Flower

Cherry Red Sage Salvia coccinea, Mint Family: ( Lamiaceae ) ( Labiatae ), Cherry Red Sage: Also called; Scarlet Sage, Texas Sage, Hummingbird Sage, Salvia, Blood Sage, Coral Nymph, Lady In Red Sage. Cherry Red Sage or Lady In Red Sage is a very attractive annual (Sometimes called perannual), wild flower perfect for the hummingbird garden. Scarlet Sage is a deer resistant wildflower that like most Salvias loves heat. Blood Sage will do well through the hottest weather with or without water. Salvia coccinea prefers sharp-draining soil. Scarlet sage is a sub-shrub perennial in warmer climates and an annual where winter temperatures stay below freezing for more than a few hours at a time. Scarlet sage reaches 2'-4' tall, with 1"-2" triangular leaves on long petioles (leaf stems) opposite each other on a square stem. The showy flowers are bright red, about an inch long, and arranged in loose whorls along the upright stem. Scarlet Sage blooms appear continuously from late winter to first frost. Salvia coccinea can tolerate some shade but does best in full sun, it tolerates drought, but flowering may suffer without supplemental watering. Does best in well drained soil but; will grow in hard, compacted, clay soil, which is a common soil in Phoenix. It is a colorful annual popular with hummingbird, bees, and other birds. Perfect plant for the hummingbird garden. Height: 2 to 4 feet tall. 1 to 2 feet spread. Flowers: Bright red, about an inch long, and arranged in loose whorls along the upright stem. Blooming Time: March to November. Leaves: Simple, ovate, serrate, reticulate, semi-evergreen, green, opposite/subopposite, 1" - 2" triangular leaves on long petioles. Found: Native to Brazil. Elevation: 0 - 2,800 Feet. Habitat: Sandy desert soils, hot, sunny areas, good drainage, will grow in hard, compacted, clay soil. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken February 24, 2008. Summer Winds Nursery, Glendale Arizona. Great xeriscape plant.