Best Salvia For Hummingbirds
Salvia clevelandii: Cleveland sage, blue sage. Evergreen, drought-tolerant with blue flowers that start in late spring. USDA Zones 8–10.
Salvia elegans: Pineapple sage. Bright red flowers bloom from midsummer into fall. Crush the leaves to experience this salvia’s namesake scent. Zones 8–10, or grown as an annual.
Salvia greggii: Autumn sage. Texas native that blooms in red from spring through fall. Its many named cultivars and hybrids provide a range of warm colors. Zones 8–10.
Salvia guaranitica: Anise-scented sage, hummingbird sage. Deep purple flowers produced midsummer to fall. Zones 8–10, or grown as an annual.
Salvia leucantha: Mexican bush sage, velvet sage. Compact late-summer and fall bloomer with purple-and-white flowers. Zones 8–10, or grown as an annual.
Salvia leucophylla: Purple sage. This shrubby salvia forms dense blocks of gray foliage topped with lavender flowers. Zones 7–10.
Salvia madrensis: Forsythia sage. Quick-growing Mexican native plant that can grow to seven feet in one season. Large leaves and buttery yellow flowers that appear late summer to fall. Zones 7–11.
Salvia microphylla: Baby sage, blackcurrant sage. Red flowers on red-tinted stems from midsummer to fall. Many pink and red cultivars available. Zones 8–10.
Salvia regla: Royal sage, mountain sage. Large red flowers that appear in early summer; blooms again in fall. Zones 8–10.
Salvia spathacea: Hummingbird sage, pitcher sage. Thick spikes of rosy flowers in late winter and spring, with a rebloom in fall. Zones 8–11.