Scarlet Sage
Salvia splendens
Scarlet sage is a bedding plant with dense spikes of brilliant red, purple or white flowers above glossy leaves. It brings strong colour to borders and pots in winter in the plains.
Photo: Prenn · CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun, Partial sun
Watering
Moderate
Water when the top of the soil is dry.
Soil
Fertile, well-drained soil; pH 6.0–7.0.
Temperature and humidity
8–32 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Feed every three weeks with a balanced fertilizer.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by seed, stem cuttings
Cut faded spikes back to a leaf pair to encourage new flowers.
Scarlet sage is not known to be toxic.
Top Cultivation Tips
Sow in September for winter colour.
Plant in groups for impact.
Attracts sunbirds and bees.
Give afternoon shade in warm spells.
Common problems
Aphids
Small, soft-bodied insects that cluster on new shoots and buds, sucking sap and leaving sticky honeydew behind.
How to treat it →PestSpider mites
Tiny sap-sucking mites that thrive in hot, dry conditions, causing speckled, dull leaves and fine webbing.
How to treat it →PestWhiteflies
Small white flying insects that gather under leaves, sucking sap, spreading viruses and leaving sticky honeydew.
How to treat it →
