Mine always come back and I have 6 in different locations in the yard. I cut them back a month ago and they are all bushy.
Try it again. I have some in part shade and some in full sun although no area is damp. The one in a pot came back too.

I'd give it a few more weeks before declaring it dead. Most of my greggiis haven't started to put out new growth yet either, and the stems are bare after all the late cold weather this winter so they do look relatively dead right now. Don't start cutting on it very hard until you see where the new growth is going to break on the stems. Some varieties are hardier than others -- this past winter will help separate them out.

Thanks! I'll give it a bit more time. In the meantime, I'm going to see if I saved any seeds for myself.

Mine look dead as a doornail. I only got them last year and was told they are perennial. Another salvia I got has already leafed out.

I have a lot of greggii. Some are full of leaves, some half full, some look like sticks, but just showing signs of life. Just today, I did some gentle cutting back on the fine tips that were definitely brittle. I am cautious until I see more leaves, then I will trim down to the green foliage.

All of mine looked good until the last snow sat on them a few days. The snow had the same impact on my dianthus and clumping bamboo. Today, they are loosing that anemic, bleached out look and showing green again. Hang on awhile.

Cameron