Scientific Name: Salvia greggii
Alternate Common Names: Gregg Sage, Mirto Rosa (Spanish)
Native Range: central and southwestern Texas, eastern and north-central Mexico
Attracts: Hummingbirds, songbirds, butterflies, native bees
Plant Type: Semi-woody perennial to evergreen shrub
Flower Colors: Red, magenta, pink, orange, pale yellow, white, purple, violet
Bloom period: Spring-Fall
Mature Size (w x h): 3 x 3 feet (1.2 x 0.9 m)
Hardiness: 5°F/-15°C
Water: Low to moderate
Light: Full sun
A very popular ornamental shrub in the desert Southwest, often planted in commercial xeriscape landscapes as well as residential gardens. Ironically, its leaves are smaller and rounder than those of the closely related Littleleaf Sage; natural hybrids between the two species have been collected in the mountains of northeastern Mexico around the village of Jame, Coahuila. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees harvest the sugar-rich nectar, and finches and other small songbirds eat the tiny black seeds.
Cultivars represented in the garden include: ‘Texas Wedding’, ‘Cold Hardy Pink’, ‘Grace Pink’, and ‘Stormy Pink’.