Salvia coccinea Summer Jewel Red

Bushy and compact, the Salvia coccinea 'Summer Jewel Red', also known as Texas Sage Summer Jewel Red, is a short-lived perennial plant most often grown annually. This recent variety stands out for its quick flowering and more compact habit. Its bright scarlet flowers appear from June to October, clustered on long upright spikes above a hairy, aromatic, heart-shaped foliage. While this highly nectar-rich plant is valuable for natural gardens, it is also stunning in perennial or annual beds and containers. It will thrive in light, well-drained soil, even sandy soil, and in full sun.

The Salvia coccinea, sometimes called scarlet sage, is a plant from the mint family, probably native to Mexico, and naturalised in the southeastern United States and various states in South America. This naturally polymorphous plant has given rise to numerous horticultural selections. The 'Summer Jewel Red' cultivar is a pillar of the Summer Jewel series and a beautiful horticultural success often awarded by professional juries. It is a short-lived herbaceous plant, erect and bushy, reaching a height of 45 cm (18in) and a width of 30 cm (12in). The entire plant is fragrant. The flowering period extends from June to October. The tubular and bilabiate flowers are arranged in fairly loose whorls along a vertical stem emerging from the foliage. The corolla displays a bright, vibrant shade of scarlet red under the summer sun. The flowers are followed by the formation of tiny brown seeds hidden in the calyxes. The decussate leaves (opposite leaves whose successive pairs cross at right angles) are arranged in a staggered pattern on the stem, growing in pairs. They are pubescent, heart-shaped or triangular, with toothed margins.

Texas Sage is an original species with a light and refined appearance. It is the queen of sunny and slightly dry areas, like its relatives Salvia officinalis or Salvia microphylla, with which it can create beautiful and natural-looking beds. It can be sown with love-in-a-mist, blue perennial flax, centaureas or snapdragons to create very colourful displays quickly. Its naturally compact habit makes it an ideal variety for pots or containers.