💜 Salvia
Salvia coccinea
Hummingbird fuel with strong opinions about drainage.
Sun
Full sun, 6+ hrs
Days to harvest
Blooms summer through fall; perennial in warm zones
Spacing
12–18 inches apart
Soil pH
6.0–7.0
How to grow
Plant scarlet sage, a Florida native, or bedding types in well-drained soil — salvias would rather be dry than soggy. They bloom heaviest in heat, making them Florida summer royalty. Shear spent spikes to trigger rebloom.
Water & feeding
Water deeply but infrequently once established; most salvias are drought-tough and rot in constant wet.
Common problems
- Root rot in heavy, wet soil — the number-one salvia killer
- Spider mites and whiteflies in hot, dry spells
- Leggy growth in too much shade — they want full blast sun
Harvest
Deadhead or shear flower spikes to keep blooms coming; cut stems for small arrangements.
Nerdy fact: Salvia has a trick pollination lever: when a bee pushes into the flower, a hinged stamen swings down and dabs pollen on the bee's back — a tiny catapult built into every bloom.