How to Grow and Care for Red Salvia

Red salvia flowers form a striking accent when massed together as bedding plants, lined up in a row as edging plants or used as a vertical accent in a container. Native to Brazil, the plant is a perennial but often grown as an annual in temperate zones. Although red salvia with scarlet-red flowers is the best known, there are varieties with white, salmon, pink, purple, lavender, burgundy, or orange colors.

Best planted in mid-spring once the soil has warmed to at least 70°F, red salvia grows quickly. The dark green, heart-shaped leaves emit a fragrance that mammalian pests dislike, making the plant both deer-resistant and rabbit-resistant.

Red Salvia Care

Red salvia might be the plant for you if you're looking for a plant to add vibrant color to your garden—without requiring a lot of care. Here are the main care requirements for growing red salvia:

• Plant it in a location with full sun, at least six to eight hours daily.
• Amend the soil with organic matter before planting.
• Water as needed to keep the soil evenly moist and mulch around the plant to preserve soil moisture.
• Regularly fertilize with an all-purpose garden fertilizer.
• Deadhead the faded blooms.

Light

The more hours of sunlight red salvia receives, the better it will grow and bloom. Plant it in a location that gets at least six to eight hours of bright sunlight per day.

Soil

The soil should be rich in organic matter, moist, and well-draining. Loamy soil is ideal. If the soil isn't nutrient-dense, amend it with organic matter before planting.

Water

Red salvia plants like consistently moist soil, but overwatering the plant causes roots to rot. Water slowly and deeply when the first inch or two of soil is dry.

Temperature and Humidity

Red salvia is only winter-hardy in frost-free climates. It is well-adapted to hot summer weather.

Fertilizer

To ensure continuous bloom, fertilize the plant well with an all-purpose garden fertilizer, following the label directions for annuals.

Types of Salvia

There are several cultivars of S. splendens. While they all have similar care requirements, they vary in both color and height. Popular varieties include:

•  ‘Vista Purple’ is a compact plant growing 10 to 12 inches tall with purple-magenta flowers.
•  ‘Roman Red’ (Salvia splendens x darcyi) ‘is a hybrid. Reaching 28 to 34 inches in height and 28 to 36 inches in width. it is one of the bigger red salvias. It blooms from late spring to mid-fall.
•  ‘Saucy Red’ has scarlet-red flower spikes from April to November. The flowers are sterile and self-cleaning so there is no need to deadhead.
•  ‘Saucy Wine’ has burgundy-red flower spikes from April to November. It is a compact and upright plant growing 24 to 36 inches tall and wide.
• 'Dancing Flame' has variegated foliage with yellow mottling and red flowers. It grows 20 inches tall and 24 inches wide.
• 'Salsa Scarlet Bicolor' has bicolored red and white flower spikes. It grows 6 to 12 inches tall

Pruning

Other than deadheading spent blooms and removing dead leaves, there is no need to prune red salvia.

Propagating Red Salvia

Red salvia is propagated from seed. There are open-pollinated red salvias as well as hybrids whose seeds don’t produce plants that are true to the parent. Some red salvia varieties are also protected by a plant patent and may not be legally propagated in any form.

How to Grow Red Salvia from Seed

Seeds can be direct sown after the last spring frost when soil temperatures have reached at least 65°F. To get a head start on the growing season, start the seeds indoors about eight weeks before the last spring frost.

1. Place the seeds on the soil surface; do not cover them, they need light to germinate.
2. Keep the soil evenly moist. Germination takes 10 to 15 days. Provide indoor seedlings with plenty of direct sunlight or use grow lights.
3. Plant the seedlings outdoors after the last spring frost.

Potting and Repotting

Red salvia makes a good container plant. For a single plant, use an 8- or 10-inch pot with large drainage holes. If you are combining red salvia with other plants, use a container at least 18 inches in diameter. Fill the container with high-quality, well-draining potting soil. Water frequently whenever the top layer of soil feels dry.

Because salvia is commonly grown as an annual, repotting during its single growing season won't be necessary.

Common Pests

When shopping for plants, carefully inspect the undersides of the leaves for whiteflies to avoid bringing any home with you. If you find whiteflies on your red salvia, a strong blast of water from a garden hose usually takes care of them. If that doesn't work or the infestation is severe, treat the plant with a diluted insecticidal soap or neem oil. Applications need to be repeated until all signs of the pest have disappeared.

Also monitor the plants for damage from slugs and snails.

How to Get Red Salvia to Bloom

Bloom Months

Red salvia blooms from June through the first fall frost.

What Do Red Salvia Flowers Look and Smell Like?

The upright showy flower spikes rise above the lush green foliage. The flowers are tubular and form dense clusters. They don't have any particular fragrance.

How to Encourage More Blooms

Deadheading spent flowers supports the development of more flower buds and a continued bloom all summer long.