I can't really tell you much, other than it was offered by at least one nursery some years ago in Western Tennessee - per a friend. One of my contacts thought it might be some sort of genetic mutation of coccinea since it tends to be a bit larger in all parts and is very vigorous. The flowers are a match for Coral Nymph. Last year was my first year growing it. It bloomed late, starting in August, and did not set much seed. This year I'm trying a 20 foot row of it in the vegetable garden to see how it grows in perfect conditions and in the hopes of getting enough seed to share with friends.

Thanks for the info Wardda! I'm in western Kentucky - they would probably do well here, huh?

What other really neat Salvias do you know about?

Penny

Check out A World of Salvias and robinssalvias - they have both been eye-openers for me. Me, I'm just a country boy from New Jersey with little knowledge and a big mouth.

Thanks, wardda, for mentioning my site, but I have never heard of Dreamsicle in the UK. There is a form of Salvia coccinea known as 'Bi-color' here which resembles 'Coral Nymph' and 'Brenthurst' but grows twice as large, up to 5 ft. where happy.

There are probably many cultivars of S. coccinea. Now have received a purple form from Australia, though suspect this originated in the USA.

So many exciting new plants to play with!

Robin.

There is a purple one folks are working with in the deep south - at the moment I can't remember what they are calling it. I have a few seeds but unfortunately I was growing out so many different plants that I didn't get around to starting them. I could be that is where your seeds originally came from. If I can remember the name I'll let you know.

Wardda,
I don't have any seeds of Dreamsicle. I just thought that it sounded great! I would love to have any Salvia seeds, they're one of my very favorite plants. I'm in zone 6 - so some of them aren't hardy - guess that means I'll have to start them early next year.

Penny

It is an annual plant. Not that it matters much because coccinea is a prolific reseeding annual, up there with annual poppies and Brazilian Verbena. Once you've got it you should always have it if you stay alert for seedlings in late spring. Another excellent reseeding annual sage is subrotunda. At this point it isn't a sage offered for sale anywhere, but I'm sure that someone would be willing to send you seed at the end of the season. It is a really heavy seeder, so heavy that not even the goldfinches can eat it all.

I know all about the Brazilian Verbena!!! I love the pictures I found of the Salvia subrotunda.

I used to have a Texas Sage - bright red w/ heart shaped leaves. It re-seeded and came up very late. I may have mulched so heavily this year that I finally lost it.

You are talking about a coccinea. Heavy mulch will usually do in most things that survive by reseeding, that is why we do it. Plants like coccinea and subrotunda are easy to start in the spring. You just surface sow the seeds in late March or early April in a pot. After the seedlings develop two or three sets of true leaves divide them up and plant them in cell packs. By early May they will be rooted and ready to go. It is just like starting tomatoes.