landscape design — Dwarf Palmetto Design

Salvia greggii (Autumn or Cherry Sage) is a highly ornamental and versatile plant for the labile Central Texas climate. It grows 2-4 feet tall and 2-4 wide, in an upright, mounding or sprawling fashion, preferring to grow on well-drained slopes in South Central Texas, West Texas and a large area of the Chihuahuan Desert in North-Central Mexico. Leaves are small, oval and when crushed smell mint-like. In habitat, red flowers dominate but in cultivation myriad flower color options are available: pink, salmon, burgundy, red, violet, orange, purple, lavender, yellow, white and mixed. Flowers emerge on new growth so pruning plants vigorously each year, during later winter results in more compact shrubs with more flowers. Plants remain evergreen in years with only light frosts. Otherwise, growth is destroyed down to lower part of plant with a severe freeze but plants grow back quickly, starting in early spring. Best to plant this species in part shade to full sun in Central Texas, with more flower production occurring in full sun. Despite one of its common names being autumn sage, plants bloom from spring to first freeze in late fall or early winter. Bees and hummingbirds seem to be exceptionally attracted to the nectar these plants provide. However, this plant is highly resistant to deer, insects and disease.