Salvia wagneriana - Wagner's Salvia

Salvia wagnariana - Wagner's Salvia  

Pot Size: Gallon

Salvia wagneriana, originating from the elevations of 4,000 - 6,500 feet in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador and the Chiapas region of Mexico, is a salvia that loves our rainy winter months. It's a favorite with us because it blooms from November to March and provides some gorgeous color in the winter. Yellow-green leaves give way to stems of hot-pink, rose, and pinkish-cream flowers with brighter hues of bracts and calyces that are 1-3 inches long. This unusual plant is a showpiece in a pollinator-friendly garden, and especially attractive to hummingbirds.

Plant Type: Evergreen Herbaceous Perennial Sub-Shrub
Size: Up to 9 ft. tall and 4 ft. wide; most commonly kept at 5 ft. tall.
Light: Full sun to partial shade, depending upon exposure.
Soil: Well-drained and rich soil preferred
Water: Medium (average); responds well to frequently moist soil
Bloom: Bright pink flowers generate bracts and calyces of different hues that are 1-3 inches long; blooms from November through March 
Other Notes and Uses:  Salvia wagneriana's flowers attract insects and hummingbirds. It is a frost-tender plant. To control height of bush, cut it down all the way after blooming (to keep it to 4' tall max).

Photo credits: C. McKowen