Salvia greggii 'Radio Red' (Radio Red Autumn Sage)

Radio Red Autumn Sage is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Radio Red Autumn Sage has masses of beautiful racemes of lightly-scented scarlet flowers rising above the foliage from late spring to mid fall, which emerge from distinctive dark red flower buds, and which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its fragrant narrow leaves remain light green in colour throughout the year.

Radio Red Autumn Sage will grow to be about 14 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 16 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 12 inches apart. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. As an evergreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Radio Red Autumn Sage is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a mass of flowers against which the larger thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.