Southwest Plant of the Month – Cedar Sage – Salvia roemeriana

General Information

 Physical Description:  Small, well mannered, shade tolerant plant with eye catching spikes of 1″, scarlet-red, tubular summer flowers among clumps of deep green, round, scalloped leaves.

Care and Maintenance:  Needs deadheading and small but regular amounts of water to maintain blooming. Prune to basal rosette in winter. Short lived.

Gardener’s Notes:  This Central Texas native grows naturally under shady junipers and oaks. Salvia coccinea is a similar, herbaceous, tropical species locally available as an annual bedding plant. It is not normally winter hardy but reseeds well. Both attract hummingbirds.

Ed note:  When searching for both low water needs and shade – this is the ONLY plant that comes up on the NMSU reference tool.

Plant information from Southwest Yard & Garden Plant Advisor.