How2Day: Tropical Salvia Plants

Salvia plants bear erect spikes of colorful flowers. Anna Yu/Photodisc/Getty Images
Tropical salvia plants belong to the genus Salvia, and are known for their colorful flowers and ability to attracted wildlife to the garden. Their common name is sage. These plants bear aromatic to wooly foliage and tall, flowering spikes that grow in a wide range of vibrant colors. Salvia plants are some of the showiest, most vibrant flowers to grow in mixed borders and containers due to their long-lasting display.

Salvia guaranitica, also called anise-scented sage, is native to Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina. It is a tender herbaceous perennial or subshrub that has a busy, open habit. Anise-scented sage exhibits upright, square, dark green stems that grow 3 to 5 feet tall. It features deep blue, 2-inch-long flowers that are two-lipped and appear in mid summer into fall. The ovate, pointed foliage on anise-scented sage is dark green and grows 2 to 5 inches long and, when brushed, has a mild aroma of anise. Anise-scented sage grows best in full sun to part shade and well-drained, evenly moist soil. According to Missouri Botanical Garden, "if grown in too much shade, plant stems tend to elongate and fall over." Grow anise-scented sage in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 to 10.

Salvia darcyi, commonly called Mexican sage, is native to the Mexican Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains. It has a fast growth rate and clumping habit and features butterfly-attracting flowers. Mexican sage bears deep orange to red blooms that grow along the 3- to 4-foot-tall spike. Each spike on Mexican sage rises above a 6-foot-wide mound of sticky, heart-shaped foliage. Mexican sage flowers from late spring to fall to create a long-lasting growing season. It requires full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil. Grow Mexican sage in USDA plant hardiness zones 7 to 10.

Salvia coccinea, also referred to as Texas sage, is a tender perennial salvia that grows 1 to 3 feet tall and 6 to 12 inches wide. It bears red flowers that appear on the 2- to 2 ½-foot-tall spikes that appear in summer to last until fall. Texas sage flowers are deer-tolerant and attract butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden. They bear oval- to heart-shaped, hairy foliage that grows approximately 1 foot wide. Texas sage grows best in full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil. In the south, it prefers afternoon shade. Grow Texas sage in USDA plant hardiness zones 8 to 10.

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