Salvia praeclara

Described (promisingly!) as “Salvia coccinea on steroids”, this showy Bolivian native is an upstanding long bloomer, providing an energizer-bunny-like bloom period from the earliest Spring until frost with vivid orange-red flower spikes a foot in length above typical green Salvia leaves. The plant reaches 3’ in height and breadth, it’s not a very hardy plant, but can easily be wintered over as a cutting for next year’s planting. A hummingbird plant if I’ve ever seen one, this colorful Salvia will grow best and biggest in rich, well drained soil in sun.

Claire Woods