Scarlet sage is a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae) and is native to the southeastern United States and tropical America. It is perennial in warmer climates and annual where winter temperatures dip below freezing. The species epithet is Latin for “scarlet.” Scarlet sage is best grown in full sun to partial shade in sandy, fertile soil but will tolerate clay soil with good drainage. It grows 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2.5 feet wide. It tolerates drought but will flower more abundantly with watering during dry spells. Scarlet sage reseeds easily. The bright red flowers are an inch long and arranged in loose whorls along the upright stem. It blooms continuously from early summer to the first frost. They are attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies. Good locations for scarlet sage are walkways, coastal, and naturalized areas. Use it as a border or mass planting in a butterfly, cottage, pollinator, or drought-tolerant garden. Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Salvia .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.