Blood sage facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blood sage
Scientific classification
Genus:	Salvia
Species:	coccinea

Salvia coccinea, also known as the blood sage, scarlet sage, Texas sage, or tropical sage, is a beautiful flowering plant. It is a type of herbaceous perennial, which means it lives for more than two years and has soft, green stems. This plant belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which also includes mint! You can find it growing naturally in the southeastern parts of the United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean islands, and northern South America. Scientists once thought it came from Brazil. But now, they believe it first grew in Mexico.

What's in a Name?

The scientific name for this plant is Salvia coccinea. The second part of its name, coccinea, comes from a Latin word. It means "scarlet-dyed." This name perfectly describes the bright red color of its flowers!

Meet the Scarlet Sage Plant

This plant can grow to be about 2 to 4 feet (0.6 to 1.2 meters) tall. It has many branches and can spread out about 2.5 feet (0.75 meters) wide. Its leaves are a pea-green color and feel a bit hairy. They have wavy edges and can be up to 3 inches (7.5 cm) long and 2 inches (5 cm) wide.

The flowers of the scarlet sage can be different colors and sizes. The wild ones are usually bright red and shaped like a tube. They are about 1.25 inches (3 cm) long. These lovely flowers are pollinated by tiny hummingbirds and colorful butterflyes.

Growing Scarlet Sage

Salvia coccinea is often grown as an annual plant, meaning it completes its life cycle in one year. People plant it in city green spaces and in their own gardens all over the world. It blooms for a long time, from the beginning of summer until the end of autumn.

You can find many different colors of cultivated scarlet sage. These include orange-red, pink, salmon, red, white, and even flowers with two colors! This plant is quite tough and can grow well in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 10. This means it can handle mild winters in those areas.