I'm getting a late start, but I received seeds from Burpee: http://www.burpee.com/flowers/salvia/salvia-lady-in-red-prod000360.html?_requestid=388306
This website says that it's an annual, Burpee's website says it's an annual -- but the seed packet itself says that it's a perennial in zones 9 and 10. Gardeningclub.com says it's a perennial in zones 8-10.
I'd rather look at overwintering indoors if possible rather than buying seed each year (I'm in zone 5a). Has anyone tried this, and if so -- any success and any words of wisdom?
Salvia coccinea, Lady in Red, perennial or annual?
Mine self seed pretty freely in zone 9B. My first plant came from a bird poop sample...might not be lady in red, but very close - red has stayed true for 2 years, and I have starts in several places of my yard now. Mine prefer some afternoon shade.
Russell
Annual up here. I didn't do any this year but they grow so fast it was no problem to start the each year.
These can be perennials in the tropic. Those that share a pot with my other tropicals and being kept indoor overwinter, they promptly resume their growth and make flowers. They do make seeds readily. I've offsprings that are found all over the place. It's a delightful surprise wherever they pop up from stray seeds. I need to add. They produce flowers rather quick once the weather is warm.
This message was edited Jun 18, 2011 3:05 PM
For an example this was one that got over winter indoor, I moved the pot outdoor after last frost. Look, they even make fruits! Just kidding. That red "fruit" is my perennial bell-pepper. lol That pepper was brought indoor last year too, and it promptly produced flowers and peppers for an early start.
Mine doesn't seem to reseed down here in Zone 9a but it does overwinter. I have two that are four years old and blooming away. Most of the salvias seem to be perrenial down here. Interestingly, my hot lips salvia even blooms 12 months of the year and never dies back at all even in the colder months. That is one very hardy (and pretty) salvia. None of the other salvias I've tried bloom all winter and resist frost the way this one does (and I have about 8 different salvias in my yard).
Well, I'll try overwintering it in a pot over at my mothers sunroom -- I knew I should have built one instead of just a patio...
Between that effort and, hopefully, some reseeding, next summer should even be better than this!
I love this plant and my hummers do too. In my zone 5/6 climate it has self sown in a planter on my deck for several years now. The seedlings emerge late spring but grow into sturdy plants, somewhat taller than the originals and bloom continuously until frost. I keep the spent blooms cut off until mid September then let them drop seeds for the last few weeks. They just need good soil and springs rains to germinate. As with any self sowers they may not sprout if the soil surface is crusted over so i just barely scratch the surface around any spot where I expect "volunteers" to appear. Water them manually if rainfall is sparse. Good luck.
finnskeeper,
I believe your plant is Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' and it is a perennial to abt 10-20 degrees. It is a lovely plant that takes heat and humidity very well and is fairly drought resistant once well established.
Mary