Is the one you have now a coccinea?

Darcyi can indeed grow to the size you mentioned.

I don't know what salvia I have. I'll take a picture later.

About Darcyi, I'm going to buy seeds soon. I'm thinking of putting it in front yard which gets morning sun until 1pm. It will still grow that wide right?

I don't know where you are getting seeds of darcyi, but I'd wait until spring to sow them, if you are in USDA Zone 5

I'll buy it on ebay. What other salvia variety looks like this?

I would like to try salvia 'scarlet spires' next year. It is a hybrid with darcyi being one of the parents.

Darcyi has never done particularly well for me and I don't know why. Scarlet Spires is a fantastic grower if rather floppy. It bloomed continuously and well throughout the worst of the summer heat and drought with supplemental watering. Ones out of the reach of water sulked until the weather turned in September. Keep in mind that this hybrid can grow 5 or 6 feet across if happy. Its cuttings also root very quickly, as quick as any salvia I have tried.

Think it depends on your climate and soil. Here in England, S. darcyi is very hardy except in the harshest winter. I have 2 plants outside which are 5 or 6 years old. This year it has been 6 ft x 6 ft and has also spread underground a bit. Not exactly invasive, but on the borderline! It has been flowering for 4 months, and is looking great. But it can flop a bit, and suffers occasional wind damage.

Had Sacrlet Spires for 2 years....not so impressed. But Silke's Dream has been amazing this year.

Meant to add that darcyi combines well with S. uliginosa, great colour contrast...and they support each other. Also Indigo Spires....sort of jungly effect!

Robin.

I've tried Salvia 'Silke's Dream', which is a darcyi cross with something shorter and shrubbier (3'high x 4' wide, more or less, with woody stems and no runners - yet.)...bloomed continuously from Spring through Summer in Oakland, despite neglect.

I like darcyi itself, but it's always been a little patchy for me...a runner that comes up where it wants to, in my experience, but beautiful and fragrant.

so Scarlet Spires can reach 4 to 6 ft? If so, I really should try it.

And Salvia 'Silke's Dream' can reach 3 to 4 ft? If so, I should try it as well.

I will also search about S. uliginosa/Indigo Spires. :D

Thanks for all the information. I really appreciate it!!!

v1rtu0s1ty, you will need to get rooted cuttings or plants of all but uliginosa, since Indigo Spires is sterile, and seeds from the two darcyi hybrids are not going to come true.

rich_dufresne,

Glad you told me that Salvia Darcyi seeds will not come true. I was about to buy the seeds this evening.

Thanks!

Darcyi hybrids truly don't come true. The one I grew from seed this winter is blooming well with very dark leaves kind of like chiapensis. The flowers are more tubular than the parent Silke's Dream but unfortunately tend to wash out after a day or two - they are reddish pink.

Another strange hybrid appeared in the park gardens. I have grown subrotunda and coccinea for years in close association and never suspected a cross, but this one lacks the rounded leaves of subrotunda but has the orange flowers. It was just discovered this morning and I have yet to see the flowers completely open.

@virtuosity:
Seeds from the species would probably come true (unless some wayward pollinator crosses them by accident) - it's the crosses/hybrids where you can get unexpected results from seed.
I think that's probably true with most seed from a hybrid. As a general rule, one or another of the parents would reassert itself. Hybrids and cultivars are always propagated by cloning (ie. cuttings or layering).

Ward:

S. coccinea and S. subrotunda are closely related, so a cross is quite possible, if you get proper pollination.

That is what I thought, and maybe I missed other crosses or the differences were too subtle to notice. In any case it is mostly a curiosity although a subrotunda orange coccinea type might be interesting if it ever occurs.

Just an update, I bought the Darcyi seeds last night. She told me that her Darcyi seeds aren't from hybrids.

I've read few things about salvia regarding sowing, it mentions that it should be surface sown. Does that mean that when I put the seeds on the soil, I just put it on top and a little tap? I also don't have any gadgets for growing seeds inside the house. Is it required that I grow them inside? In zone 5a, when should I start it? Any more tips to get 99% success in germination?

Thanks!

Salvia seeds need light to germinate, so yes, surface sow them. I would wait until about April (in your zone) and winter sow them in covered containers (check out the Winter Sowing Forum here) outdoors. Otherwise, you'll have to start them inside about 6-8 weeks before your last frost date and then harden them off before planting outside, or sow them directly (kinda risky) after your last frost date in spring. Soaking them overnight will aid in germination.

This Salvia is not winter hardy in your zone 5. It's reportedly only hardy to Zone 8a. I don't know if it will reseed for you or not, but I'm inclined to doubt it.

There are other red Sages that you might want to look at, and I've attached an article that Tony Avent of Plant Delights has written concerning and describing several different species and hybrids. Another one you might want to look at, if you can find it, is Salvia penstemonoides, which is a larger, red-flowering, Salvia. But, not all "reds" are the same. Some are a true, brilliant red, while others are a deep pinkish red, purplish red, orangish red, and you get the point. I researched the reds heavily last year, and posted on this forum as well. There's a lot of great folks here, and believe me, they know their Salvias.

Susan

Here is a link that might be useful: Salvia Article by Tony Avent

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out later.

This is the salvia I have. Only 2 plants out of 30 or 40 seeds since I did not know how to make them germinate.

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That looks like one of the bedding plant hybrids out of Salvia splendens, no?

Do they attract hummingbirds at all?

I grew salvias from seed this last spring. Many did not make it because of our roller coaster spring weather. But I managed to nurture several Salvia coccinea 'Lady in Red' and S. coccinea 'Forest Fire'. Most only got about 18" tall, but one of the Lady in Reds did get about 3' tall and wide. It was stunning in full bloom. The fantastic thing about these Salvias is that I planted them in partial shade and they bloomed their heads off. They should reseed so that I have plants next year, too. I especially liked the Forest Fire (there is a post and photo of it probably still on first page here). The bright red blooms against the dark, almost black calyces is just startling.

I am also growing Salvia greggii 'Cherry Queen' which is a red; and Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' which is a bi-color red and white. 'Hot Lips' was solid red during the summer, and is just now putting out the bi-color red/white blooms. It is a stunner, too!

Salvia subrotunda is another BIG red salvia and attractive to hummingbirds as well. It will be an annual for you and may reseed as well. Not sure in your zone. Remy at The Sample Seed Shop offers seed at $1.50 for 25 seeds, and that's about the best Salvia species deal you'll find anywhere other than a trade.

Susan

Here is a link that might be useful:

I'm wondering if your splendens is Yvonne's form, which gets big and has more flowers.

That's the final size I guess since I just took that picture 2 days ago. And yes, I took the seeds last year from Baraboo, WI. It was a small salvia bed about 3 ft x 5ft I guess. I have not see any hummers in my area. I had this plant id'd previously and they told me that it looks like splendens. Your id was the same too. :)

I will look for Lady in Red. I am really looking for something clumpy. Maybe I can ask for few seeds from you, please. :)

Where can I find "Remy at The Sample Seed Shop"?

rich_dufresne,

The source plant where I got the seeds from are also not clumpy and are not tall maybe about 16-18 inch tall only.

Thanks.

Oh, to be fair with my salvia since I am describing her as short and not clumpy(LOL), she is extremely drought tolerant. I have not watered her nor we didn't have any rain for 3+ weeks now. This is the reason why I want to put more salvias since we can beautify our garden/home and we don't have to exert a lot of effort. :D

this is where I got the seeds from last year ... :P

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The plants in the photos seem short for Yvonne's which is more like 4 to 6 feet tall at maturity.

Yup, it's not Yvonne. They id'd it as splenden. The one on the left is guaranitica.

I'll give you a link to Remy's Sample Seed Shop. I will be more than happy to try to collect some seed from both 'Lady in Red' and 'Forest Fire' if you'd like. I know there's a trick to it, if someone can give me some suggestions here.

Susan

Here is a link that might be useful: The Sample Seed Shop

Yay, I would really love some seeds from those salvia. Here is what I did yesterday to collect seeds from those 2 salvias of mine. When the flowers are a bit dry, I look at the opening and see if the seeds are black. If it's black, it's ready. If it's white, I don't touch it.

I also noticed that my guaranitica produces seeds. I was able to harvest 1 seed. LOL. The other seeds are still color white. I'll check it tomorrow again.

Thanks for the link!

You're very welcome! And, thanks for the tips on collecting Salvia seeds. I'll check some of my drying flower stalks today and see if I have any. Oops, might have to wait til tomorrow since it's raining today.

I'm working on collecting seeds from the garden; some are ready and some are still drying out. I raise butterflies and moths and love the hummingbirds, too, because they first became attracted to a lot of my butterfly nectar plants. Since then, I've also been including some hummer nectar plants, such as Salvias and Dwarf Red Porterweed, in the garden. Funny thing is that some of the larger butterflies nectar on these hummer plants, too, including Monarchs, Cloudless Sulphurs, Swallowtails, and Gulf Fritillaries.

Remy's seeds are very reasonably priced. I ordered tomato seeds from her, too, because they are more reasonable, and come in more reasonable amounts of seed for my small garden.

Susan

Will I be able to see a hummer in my area? I've never seen any :(

I wish the S. Darcyi I bought will produce seeds. I am planning to indoor sow it sometime early April next year.

Please keep me posted about your seed harvesting. :)

Yes, the Ruby Throat migrates as far North as Canada. Growing plants they like as nectar sources, and providing feeders for them, are great ways to attract them to your garden. The flowers I have that most attract them are the Salvias, Dwarf Red Porterweed (an annual, but it blooms from spring to frost), Passion Vine, Monardas (Bee Balm), Cosmos, Verbena bonariensis, Cypress Vine (both Red and white), Lantana, Milkweeds, Tithonias (Mexican Sunflower), Pentas, Crossvine, Honeysuckles, Butterfly Bush (Buddleias), Columbines, and Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower), as well as many, many Salvias.

Hummingbirds and butterflies, in addition to honeybees and bumble bees, will definitely pollinate your Salvia flowers. The larger butterflies love Salvia, like the Monarchs and Swallowtails.

Susan