Tropical Sage
Salvia coccinea
Also listed as Horminum coccineum, Salvia ciliata
Also known as Scarlet Sage, Scarlet Salvia, Red Salvia
Climate Match for your location
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A tender perennial with tubular scarlet flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies from summer through fall. Though native to tropical regions, it's often grown as an annual in cooler climates.
Why grow it
Tropical sage offers reliable midsummer to frost flowering in a compact form, making it useful where space is limited or where you need color after many spring bloomers fade. It produces nectar consistently over a long season, distinguishing it from some shorter-blooming native salvias in temperate regions. The tubular flower structure appeals specifically to hummingbirds, whereas broader-flowered sages attract a wider range of pollinators.
Watch out for
In cooler zones it may not self-seed reliably or survive winter outdoors, requiring annual replanting or overwintering indoors. The plant can become leggy if grown in partial shade or with inconsistent watering, so it performs best with six or more hours of direct sun and moderate water management.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Mexico and Central America
Native to: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A tender perennial with tubular scarlet flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies from summer through fall. Though native to tropical regions, it's often grown as an annual in cooler climates.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Tropical Sage grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Tropical sage offers reliable midsummer to frost flowering in a compact form, making it useful where space is limited or where you need color after many spring bloomers fade. It produces nectar consistently over a long season, distinguishing it from some shorter-blooming native salvias in temperate regions. The tubular flower structure appeals specifically to hummingbirds, whereas broader-flowered sages attract a wider range of pollinators.
Watch out for
In cooler zones it may not self-seed reliably or survive winter outdoors, requiring annual replanting or overwintering indoors. The plant can become leggy if grown in partial shade or with inconsistent watering, so it performs best with six or more hours of direct sun and moderate water management.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Mexico and Central America
Native to: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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