Salvia greggii
Autumn or Texas Sage
Description
The Autumn Sage is a hybrid evergreen shrub that grows 2'-3' high It has fragrant green leaves and colorful flowers in shades of red that bloom in spring and summer. This lovely perennial can tolerate sun or partial shade and is hardy to 15 degrees. The Autumn Sage is drought tolerant and attracts hummingbirds. The flower colors that can be grown are: Coral, Pink, Purple, Red, and White. It can be grown near the coast and in inland warm valleys.
Maintenance Tips
Salvia greggii, also known as Autumn Sage, is one of the best woody shrubs for attracting birds, especially hummingbirds. The shrub typically grows 2-3' tall and wide with the flower stalks reaching another 6" beyond the foliage. There are many hybrids of this species with different flower colors, flower sizes, and overall size at maturity. They are all woody shrubs that tend to become dense with cross branching, so thinning out the branches and allowing sunlight to the interior benefits the plant greatly. All of the flowers are born at the tips of the branches so hedging is discouraged as it will cut off the blooming potential.