Salvia splendens Scarlet Sage St Johns Fire Seeds - Scarlet Sage

Perennial in its native Brazil, Salvia splendens St John's Fire also called Scarlet Sage, is grown as an annual in our climates. It features long flowering, dense spikes adorned with scarlet red flowers, held above a magnificent bush of dark green leaves. This old favourite is reliable and vigorous as soon as it emerges as well as being weather-resistant and is a delight for beginner gardeners. Plant in the sun in moist, light, well-drained soil.

Salvia splendens is a herbaceous plant of the family Lamiaceae, native to the hot and humid regions of Brazil, situated between 2000 and 3000 m above sea level. Sometimes it reaches up to 1.30 m in its native habitat but in our climates, it forms an erect tuft of stems measuring 30 cm high and 25 cm wide, in the space of only one season. The quadrangular stems are well-branched and erect. The leaves are oval to lanceolate, toothed, dark green and cover the entire length of the stems. The floral spikes rise above the foliage, from the end of spring to the end of autumn. The tubular flowers are scarlet red, providing a wonderful contrast with the foliage. 

Scarlet sage is the queen of beds and has been encountered by everyone at least once, on a detour around a neighbouring garden or in the flowerbeds of public gardens. When used in moderation and planted in small groups that are spread out among other plants with complementary colours (blue Delphinium and silver sagebrush), it adds extra depth to flowerbeds, blooming even when summer perennials go dormant. It also performs very well in pots where it is used to decorate terraces, balconies and window boxes.