Salvia microphylla ‘Red Velvet’ (Baby Sage)
Baby Sage 'Red Velvet', Mountain Sage 'Red Velvet', Salvia x jamensis 'Red Velvet', Salvia microphylla x greggii 'Red Velvet'
Noted for its intense red flowers, Salvia microphylla ‘Red Velvet’ is a tender perennial Salvia that will reward you with masses of exceptionally large, brilliant red velvety flowers, beautifully contrasting with their dark chocolate stems and calyxes. Enjoying a long blooming season, from early summer to frost, they rise above a handsome bush of glossy, rounded rich green foliage. The very attractive flower stalks are of great aesthetic appeal in beds or borders and attract scores of butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects.
‘Red Velvet’ results from a cross between Salvia microphylla and Salvia greggii.
- Well-branched and very free-flowering, ‘Red Velvet’ grows vigorously up to 2-4 ft. tall and across (60-120 cm).
- Thrives in full sun or partial shade, in moist, well-drained soils. It is not fussy about soils as long as there is good drainage. Water and fertilize regularly to keep it flowering. Drought tolerant once established.
- Low maintenance, this Salvia is perfect for beds and borders, and well suited to coastal gardens, cottage gardens or containers.
- Deer and rabbit resistant
Requirements
| Hardiness |
7 - 12 |
|---|---|
| Heat Zones |
1 - 12 |
| Climate Zones | 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
| Plant Type | Perennials, Shrubs |
| Plant Family | Lamiaceae |
| Genus | Salvia |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall |
| Height |
2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm) |
| Spread |
2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm) |
| Spacing |
36" - 48" (90cm - 120cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy |
| Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Rabbit |
| Attracts | Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds |
| Garden Uses | Beds And Borders |
| Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage |
Alternative Plants to Consider
Recommended Companion Plants
Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens
JC Raulston Arboretum at NC State University
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Requirements
| Hardiness |
7 - 12 |
|---|---|
| Heat Zones |
1 - 12 |
| Climate Zones | 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
| Plant Type | Perennials, Shrubs |
| Plant Family | Lamiaceae |
| Genus | Salvia |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall |
| Height |
2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm) |
| Spread |
2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm) |
| Spacing |
36" - 48" (90cm - 120cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy |
| Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Rabbit |
| Attracts | Bees, Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds |
| Garden Uses | Beds And Borders |
| Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage |
