Salvia elegans blooms in the Autumn. I found a great book at the library on Salvias "The New Book of Salvias" by Betsy Clebsch. There's a few charts in the back that lists when each Salvia blooms Spring, Summer, Autumn, and/or Winter.

If you take cuttings and over winter that pineapple salvia you'll get some blooms in the early spring too.

Pretty plant... the hummers would have loved it. You might want to make yourself a cup of tea from the leaves before they freeze.

Oh wow, great ideas!! I just considered this an annual that I would have to hunt for again next year! So, looking into it, I should take a 2 1/2 inch cutting, preferably green minus a few of the lower leaves. Stick it into a mix of 1:1 perlite and vermiculite, keep moist and under lights? Any suggestions would be great!!

And how, do I make a nice Hot Tea out of this plant?!? Nothing would make those cold mornings more fun! Thanks, Christy

The cuttings are EASY. I did it... all of the cuttings were successful. Just pick a couple of leaves, and put in boiling water... pick leaves too taste.

Or, you can add a few leaves to a light black tea. Or, make a mix of several herbs. I'll ask on the Herb Forum and see what recipes they have.

Christy2828,

I put some instructions on my trade list on how to propagate most any plant by softwood cutting. Some plants root easily without this method, but if you set it up you can grow all kinds of stuff. For instance, a fuchsia that was in a pot blew over and broke a few weeks ago. I made the pieces into cuttings, and now there's 15 little plants under the grow lights.

You're all welcome to take a copy. Sorry about the format, for some reason I can't edit my member page.

Christy and others
There are still hummers furter north. I am still hosting a late arrvial here in the Buffalo Niagara region of NY(Oct. 16th) and she will not use a feeder. She is using plants(mostly salvias) exclusively. So for anyone who still has salvias blooming to any degree please leave them intact for the late migrators that will soon find it more difficult to find natural nectar. I have never had a hummer this late in the season and I am sure it is because I still have my plants blooming even after many were bent over from last weeks freak snow storm.

Penny

Thanks Penny! My 'Lady in Red', 'Black and Blue,' and 'Pineapple Sage' are still going strong! Send them on down to my house! Christy

Thank you Christy, I really hope they do head down your way sooner than later.Penny

My little lady finally headed out yesterday Oct. 26th. One in Ohio headed south a couple of days before mine and one of the hummers in Michigan left either the 25th. or 26th. also. I also got word that there is still quite a few still up in southern Ontario privice in Canada so those plants that are still blooming will be a big help to them as they move south. Many of these late migrants don't use or know how to use a feeder and will rely totally on plants. We had our first freeze down to 30 degrees last night but many of my salvias have survived so far including Salvia g. Van Remsen, Black & Blue, Texas Sage and greggiis

Penny

Penny,
My VanRemsen is still going strong too! So is Coral Nymph. I thought the freezing weather would end their blooming, but I guess not.
Remy

BTW, Thanks Jimmyjojo, for that information. I've clipped it, and am planning on giving it a try this year! Thanks for sharing :) Christy

Remy,
My salvia coccineas including the coral nymph were pulled up today. A lot of them got broken in the high wind the last few days so out they came but I broke the stems down pretty small and am using them as some of the mulch over my Black and Blues. I am glad to hear that your Van Remsen is still blooming too. It is doing much better than my Black and blues that got beat to death by the wind. Van Remsen just went with the flow. One is almost 7 ft. tall the other is about 6 ft. and I have taken several cuttings to overwinter but I am going to try and mulch the ones in the ground really heavily to see if they will survive over the winter. The blooms are just gorgeous!

Penny