Salvia microphylla, photographed in the wild
I wavered in my identification of today’s plant. Is it Salvia microphylla (blackcurrant sage) or Salvia greggii (autumn sage)? Complicating matters is that the two have overlapping ranges in the mid- to high-elevations of eastern Mexico, and, apparently, the two species will hybridize.
I’ve tentatively chosen Salvia microphylla on the characters of leaf shape and leaf margin as suggested by the linked article–the leaves are neither narrow or smooth-edged, as one might expect to find in Salvia greggii. However, both taxa are noted as being “highly variable” in morphology, and with the possibility of hybridization, someone who knows the group better than myself may have to step in and correct me.
Both species are common in cultivation, with numerous cultivars differing chiefly by flower colour variations (e.g., Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’).
Photography resource link: enjoy the wildlife and nature photography of Montreal photographer Jacques-André Dupont!
One of my favorite Salvias! Many of the naturally occurring Salvia x jamensis are wonderful flowers, although sadly not hardy (for me) in Toronto.
The salvia “hotlips” is a hummingbird magnet and very popular in the Wildlife Garden at the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre in Errington on Vancouver Island. (Red hotlips on R side of image at bed edge above 1st blue pot). Also, I’ve noticed over the years that this salvia with red and white bi-coloured petals produces either more white or more red flowers over its long blooming period depending on temperature. Love your website!
Here is Lynne’s photo — sorry for the delay, I was away!
In the little village were I grew up this beatiful salvia is call ‘perrito’, because it resembles a puppy´s face (or so we used to thought). Each flower has a drop of nectar and is popular no just among the hummingbirds! Greetings from México and thanks for this wonderful website!
Thank you for the truly beautiful photo of this glorious red flower. I need to see some green leaves to remind me that spring is just around the corner (a bit earlier for us in southern Maryland). I look forward to seeing this in our gardens this year.