The hummingbirds LOVE this salvia.

Salvia confertiflora will die in your winter if left in the ground. It dies in the ground for me most winters. It is native to Brazil.

It will do best in the ground for the summer but dig it up and pot it up before your first frost. It will not be harmed by digging and potting up, just make sure you use a large enough pot. It can be taken inside for the winter and put outside on mild days.

It grows easily to 5' for me by September. The flower stems can easily grow to a foot or more in length.

If the plants are older, one year or more, it should flower this summer. If not expect blooms later in the season. One year the over wintered plants started to flower at the end of June and continued until a hard frost in November.

I have never seen tubers on this species. It is easy to root from cuttings.

BTW: This species is stunning in the garden even if it doesn't flower. I have two 4' plants in 5 gal. contaniers on my patio awaiting transplanting into the garden.

Here is a link that might be useful: Salvia confertiflora - close up

Thanks so much! The hummingbirds are a huge bonus -- I just liked the way it looked! No idea where I read about it having tubers -- maybe they just meant "big old root that you can dig up and overwinter." So, you're saying pot it up rather than store the root in a cool place like a dahlia tuber?

Yes, pot the plant up and grow it through the winter indoors.

SG

Crocosmia: What a beautiful orange garden. I love it!

Beautiful indeed!

Can we grow this one out here in southern cali? If so, with what restrictions, shade? semi-shade?

I want that one...

I have had this beautiful salvia in my garden for 3 years now. It dies back in the winter and returns in the spring. Here in Austin, I have it planted where it gets full sun till noon. Charles

You should be able to grow it in So. Cal. I grow it here in the San Jose area. I keep mine in semi-shade...sort of a woodland setting. It gets sun until about 1 and then, dappled sun fading into full shade. I prune it/pinch it back in spring to encourage bushiness.

I saw one growing with Salvia "Indigo Spires" in Mendocino Botanical Gardens (a "Kaveh" design) that made a gorgeous combo.

wanda

Anyone know who carries this plant? I don't remember ever seeing it before.

If you want mail order,canyoncreeknursery.com and diggingdog.com.

Helena: thanks for sending me to Digging Dog. It's a CA nursery, so no problem with them sending me the plants. I found several that I have been looking for.

Glad to help, Westelle. Yea, I was tempted with their plants too. I've got quite a few from Richard too on the East Coast.