Salvia ‘Red Envy’: an upright open shrubby perennial 1-1.2mH with thin red tubular flowers in spring to autumn.
Salvia ‘Red Envy’: is a brighter red than the dark form. See separate entry.
Flowers : are long red tubular shaped with the hood being straight and the anthers and stigma being very exerted, giving the impression of being longer.
The bottom lobes are small and curled back to open the throat area, allowing easy access from bees, insects and honey eaters.
Flowers appear in pairs along a green stem, all facing the same direction – usually following the sun.
Flowers appear in spring, summer through to autumn., well above the foliage to attract passing birds and insects.Birds love these flowers.
Calyces: are green , small ribbed and slightly hairy.If flowers are not pollinated, the calyces will drop off leaving a flower stem. If pollinated, they become straw coloured, remaining until cut off.
Leaves: are long lanceolate with a pointed tip, mid green with small crenations along the margins, slightly hairy on both sides. Most stems are well clothed in leaves.
Salvia ‘Red Envy’: is a lovely upright shrubby perennial used as a filler behind smaller rounder shrubs. This makes a good back ground shrub in small gardens. When in flower, they certainly make a splash of colour and a draw card for birds to swing off their stems. the bright red brighten up any dark corners.
Easily grown in a sunny position, preferring full sun, but will tolerate a high branched deciduous tree. Not fussed about soil, but like a bit of water at the height of summer to keep those flowers blooming.
Plant either as a background plant to smaller subshrubs and perennials or groundcovers in blue/ purple, yellow or white or use as a filler among other tall perennials.
When most of the flowers have finished at the end of summer/ autumn, cut the stems right down, leaving a few nodes. Clean away any dead or old stems, feed and mulch to keep the crown warm in winter, feed again in spring and top up mulch to keep the roots cool during the hot months of summer.
Propagation: Easily propagated by tip cuttings from new growth – must be labeled ‘Red form’.