Salvia greggii Red
Salvia greggii Red
🌱 Planting Installation
Red Autumn Sage (Salvia greggii 'Red'), also commonly referred to as Cherry Sage or Texas Sage, is a quintessential semi-evergreen subshrub native to Texas and northern Mexico. Forming a neat, woody-based mound two to three feet tall and wide, it features small, oblong, resinous green leaves that emit a pleasant minty-herbal fragrance when crushed. From early spring through autumn, with peak floral flushes in spring and fall, slender stems display dense terminal clusters of brilliant cherry-red to scarlet-crimson, two-lipped tubular blossoms.
Widely planted in Southwestern xeriscapes, cottage borders, and rock gardens, Red Autumn Sage serves as a premier, high-energy nectar source for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. Hardy in USDA Zones 7a through 10b, it thrives in full sun and well-draining, lean, sandy, or limestone-rich soils. Highly resilient to severe drought and intense summer heat once established, its aromatic, oil-rich foliage provides natural immunity against deer and rabbits, making it an essential, low-maintenance landscape classic.
| Scientific Name | Salvia greggii 'Red' (Red Autumn Sage / Texas Sage / Cherry Sage) |
| Foliage: Semi-evergreen |
Compact, bushy, semi-evergreen subshrub with a mounding, branching habit. Leaves: Small, opposite, oval to oblong, aromatic medium-green leaves (1/2–1 in long); emits a sweet, minty-herbal fragrance when brushed or crushed. Flowers: Vivid cherry-red to scarlet-crimson, two-lipped tubular flowers borne in loose terminal racemes; blooms continuously from spring through autumn, peaking in spring and fall. Fruit: Inconspicuous, small, dry nutlets enclosed within the persistent protective calyx. Seeds: Four tiny, dark brown to black nutlets per flower. Bark: Soft, green, square young stems that mature into slender, brittle, fibrous grayish-brown woody stems at the base. |
| Life Span: Perennial | 10–20+ years |
| Mature Height | 2–3 ft |
| Mature Width (Spread) | 2–3 ft |
| Growth Rate | Fast |
| USDA Zone / Chill Hours | Zones 7a–10b (Root-hardy down to 0°F to 5°F); No chill hours required |
PLANT CARE & CHARACTERISTICS
Light Requirements: Full Sun (Requires 6+ hours of direct sunlight daily for maximum floral output and compact branching; tolerates light afternoon shade in extreme summer heat).
Water Requirements: Low; requires minimal supplemental watering once established.
Drought Resistance: Exceptional (Thrives in hot, dry Southwestern climates and xeriscapes).
Soil Type: Highly adaptable; prefers dry to medium, sandy, gravelly, or limestone-rich soils; pH 6.0–8.0; strictly requires sharp, rapid drainage to prevent root rot.
Deer Resistance: Very High (Aromatic, resinous foliage naturally deters deer and rabbits).
Pest / Disease Resistance: High resistance to pests and diseases; main threat is root or crown rot in soggy, poorly drained soils or overwatered conditions.
Pollination: Bird and Insect-pollinated; brilliant red flowers are a prime food source for hummingbirds, honeybees, native bees, and butterflies.
Pruning: Prune back by one-third in late winter or early spring to shape the plant, remove woody dieback, and promote fresh growth. Shear lightly in mid-summer to encourage a heavy autumn bloom flush.
