Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) at 52″ tall on 10-17-13, #196-10.
Red Velvet Sage, Harvest Sage, Sabra Spike Sage
Salvia confertiflora
SAL-vee-uh kon-fert-tih-FLOR-uh
Synonyms of Salvia confertiflora (3) (Updated on 12-20-23 from Plants of the World Online): Salvia confertiflora var. angustifolia J.A.Schmidt (1858), Salvia confertiflora var. brachyantha Pohl (1831), Salvia rufa Epling (1935)
Salvia confertiflora Pohl is the accepted scientific name for this species of Salvia. It was named and described by Johann Baptist Emanuel Pohl in Plantarum Brasiliae Icones et Descriptiones in 1833.
This species was discovered by Mr. Pohl in the Serra dos Órgãos, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1833.
The genus, Salvia L., was named and described as such by Carl von Linnaeus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.
As of 12-20-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 1,018 species in the Salvia genus. It is a member of the plant family Lamiaceae with 232 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.
THERE ARE A FEW LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 4-15-12, #88-60.
I bought this Salvia confertiflora from an Ebay seller from Arkansas along with several other plants in the spring of 2012. I have bought many plants from him and they are always very good. He has a great selection of plants and has been selling on Ebay since 2000.
I planted the Scarlet Sage along the brick sidewalk in the middle part of the garden at the mansion. I had doubled the size of the garden for 2012 and it was an exciting summer for sure…
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 6-2-12, #95-42.
USEFUL INFORMATION:
Family: Lamiaceae
Origin: Brazil
Zones: USDA Zones 10a-11 (30 to 40° F)
Size: 4-6’ + tall and 4’ or so wide
Light: Sun to light shade
Soil: Average, well-drained soil
Water: Average water needs
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) starting to bud on 6-11-12, #99-43.
The serrated leaves are a soft green with yellow undertones. They can grow around 7″ long x 3 1/2″ wide. Information says the stems, petioles, and new leaves have brown hairs but I didn’t notice that. However, I did notice the hairy inflorescences.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 6-11-12, #99-44.
I am not sure where the common name “Red Velvet” comes from because the flowers are orange-red. The velvet part could come from the large, velvety leaves. The species name, confertiflora, means “crowded with flowers” or “crowded flowers”.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 7-13-12, #110-16.
The backyard at the mansion was a combination of full sun to part shade. It gets pretty hot and humid in the summer so most plants appreciated a little shade in the afternoon. Even what wanted full sun was usually shaded by taller plants at some point during the day.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 8-12-12, #115-79.
The Salvia confertiflora is a multi-branched plant that can grow up to 6 feet or taller and at least 4′ wide. Their size has kept them from becoming a popular garden plant. I had to keep the plant staked to keep it from falling over.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) inflorescence on 10-21-12, #123-15.
The inflorescences on the Salvia confertiflora can grow to close to 24″ long. The stems are covered with tiny brown hairs as are the calyces on the flowers. The flowers themselves were bright orange-red and weird. Even when they were fully open, it looked like they weren’t. They were just like a little tube but the hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees loved them.
<<<<2013 IN MISSOURI>>>>
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 5-14-13, #148-18.
After I sold the mansion in January 2013, my dad asked me to move back to the family farm in mid-Missouri. SO, in February, I gave up a couple hundred potted plants and moved back to my hometown. I made a new flower bed on the south side of their home and amended it with composted cow manure I call “The Good Stuff”. I bought several more plants from the same seller on Ebay, including another Salvia confertiflora.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 6-1-13, #151-62.
The Salvia confertiflora wasted no time getting acclimated to its new home. I was trying to make adjustments myself. Going from the awesome backyard at the mansion to the farm was like a culture shock… It took four years to get the backyard at the mansion cleaned up and looking good, now I have to start over. It was much different than before…
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) strutting her stuff on 6-11-13, #155-25.
Many plants that become large grow very fast. That was certainly the case with the Salvia confertiflora. Next time I have one I think I will measure it every couple of days.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) leaf on 6-21-13, #156-14.
The leaves have sort of a rough texture that is hard to explain.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 7-3-13, #160-26.
The grasshoppers were pretty bad in 2013 and had to give every plant at least a few nibbles. They ate the leaves of this plant off and on, but they weren’t really fond of it. The Cannas were on the right side of the Salvia confertiflora and they really liked them.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 7-14-13, #162-48.
It seemed like eventually, word got around and they more or less stopped feeding on it.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) bud on 7-14-13, #162-49.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 8-3-13, #168-22.
They even had to eat the flower buds.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 8-8-13, #171-25.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 8-23-13, #178-75.
Even though the grasshoppers ate most of the buds at first, they stopped that, too.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 8-30-13, #181-47.
I seem to have more photos than words…
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 9-17-13, #188-53.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 9-17-13, #188-54.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 9-20-13, ##192-9.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 9-20-13, #192-10.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) 52″ tall on 10-17-13, #196-10.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 10-17-13, #196-11.
AWESOME! Even though they are fairly late bloomers, they still are a plant to be admired.
Salvia confertiflora (Red Velvet Sage) on 10-25-13, #198-26.
Sooner or later we have to face the cold weather and say goodbye to our plant companions until we meet again. I would like to have at least one of these every year but it would be even better if they would self-sow. It would be even better if I lived somewhere it didn’t get cold…
Someday, I will order more of these plants… I think the Salvia confertiflora is AWESOME!
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