"(Lady in Red Tropical Sage) Lady in Red is a variety of Salvia coccinea Juss. ex Murr., which is often called Texas Sage. It is the best red-flowering Tropical Sage that we grow and a 1992 winner of an All American Selections award.
The lush flower spikes of Lady in Red draw butterflies, honeybees and hummingbirds to the rich nectar of this Southern species and American native.
Unlike the dwarf variety of Lady in Red, which was bred by the Japanese company Takii Seed/Sahin, this is a full-sized Tropical Sage that the Japanese breeder developed in conjunction with the Netherlands firm of Zaden B.V.
Fuzzy and shaped like elongated hearts, the dark-green leaves of Lady in Red are heavily veined and have serrated edges. The fragrant foliage contrasts dramatically with the long-blooming flowers.
If you have persistently damp spots in your yard, Tropical Sages are good solutions due to their water-loving nature. However, they do just fine with an average amount of watering based on local rainfall.
Similar to other Tropical Sages, Lady in Red thrives in full-sun to partial shade and requires rich garden soil. It is a tender perennial in areas with moderate winters and a lovely annual bedding plant elsewhere.
Tropical Sage (Salvia coccinea) existed in the American Southeast, Central America and South American prior to European conquest of the New World. Early plant exploration led to its naturalization in Europe and Africa."