The Plant Guide

Browse the Full Plant Guide

Mexican sage

Salvia darcyi

SAL-vee-ah DAR-see-eye Audio

From late spring to fall, this easy-going perennial bears deep orange-red flowers on 3- to 4-foot-tall spikes that rise above a loose, 6-foot-wide mound of heart-shaped, sticky leaves. The native habitat for this brightly colored salvia is a very limited area at an altitude of 9,000 feet in the narrow range of the Mexican Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains.

Noteworthy CharacteristicsSalvias are some of the showiest plants for containers, annual borders, and mixed borders. Butterflies and hummingbirds love them. 

CareProvide moist but well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Best when staked early in its growth.

PropagationSow seed or divide plants in spring; take cuttings spring through fall.

ProblemsPowdery mildew, rust, stem rot, fungal leaf spots, whiteflies, aphids, mealybugs, spider mites.

  • Genus : Salvia
  • Zones : 10, 7, 8, 9
  • Plant Height : 3 to 6 feet
  • Plant Width : 3 to 6 feet
  • Characteristics : Attracts Hummingbirds
  • Bloom Time : Early Fall, Early Summer, Fall, Late Spring, Late Summer, Summer
  • Growth Rate : Fast
  • Light : Full Sun to Partial Shade
  • Maintenance : Low
  • Moisture : Medium Moisture
  • Plant Type : Perennials
  • Flower Color : Red
  • Plant Seasonal Interest : Summer Interest

Related Plants

Related Articles

More From the Plant Guide

Winter Interest

Partial Shade

Browse the Full Plant Guide