Blood Sage

Blood Sage: A Hummingbird Magnet for Your Garden

If you’re looking for a plant that practically screams hummingbirds welcome here, then blood sage might just be your new best friend. This cheerful little flowering machine (botanically known as Salvia coccinea) has been winning over gardeners and pollinators alike with its bright red tubular blooms and easygoing nature.

What Exactly Is Blood Sage?

Blood sage is a forb herb – basically a non-woody flowering plant that knows how to put on a show. It can behave as either an annual or perennial depending on your climate, which makes it quite the adaptable garden companion. The plant produces spikes of brilliant red flowers that seem custom-designed to catch a hummingbird’s attention from across the yard.

Where Does It Call Home?

Here’s where things get interesting with blood sage’s backstory. This plant is native to the southeastern United States, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas. It’s also native to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, it has naturalized in Hawaii and Ohio, where it grows wild but isn’t originally from there.

Why Your Garden (and Local Wildlife) Will Love It

Blood sage is like that friend who’s always ready for a party – it blooms from spring through fall, providing a consistent source of nectar when many other flowers have called it quits. Here’s what makes it special:

• Hummingbirds absolutely adore those bright red, tubular flowers
• Butterflies and bees visit regularly for nectar
• The continuous blooming season means months of pollinator activity
• It self-seeds readily, so you’ll likely get free plants next year
• Drought tolerant once established, making it a low-maintenance choice

While wildlife research shows that large animals only use blood sage for about 2-5% of their diet and don’t rely on it heavily for cover, its real superpower lies in supporting pollinators.

Perfect Garden Roles

Blood sage plays well with others and fits into several garden styles:

• Pollinator and butterfly gardens (it’s practically mandatory here)
• Cottage garden borders where its informal charm shines
• Naturalized wildflower areas
• Mixed perennial beds where you need reliable color
• Containers for patios and small spaces

Growing Conditions That Make It Happy

The good news? Blood sage isn’t particularly fussy about its living conditions. Here’s what it prefers:

• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade (though more sun means more flowers)
• Soil: Well-draining soil of average fertility – it doesn’t need the fancy stuff
• Water: Regular watering until established, then quite drought tolerant
• Climate: Hardy in USDA zones 8-11, grown as an annual in cooler areas

Planting and Care Tips

Growing blood sage successfully is refreshingly straightforward:

• Start from seed in spring after the last frost, or buy transplants
• Space plants about 12-18 inches apart
• Water regularly during the first few weeks while roots establish
• Deadhead spent flowers to encourage more blooms (though leaving some will provide seeds)
• In warmer zones, it may overwinter; in cooler areas, collect seeds for next year
• Expect the plant to reach 1-3 feet tall and spread about 1-2 feet wide

Things to Consider

Before you fall head over heels for blood sage, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• It self-seeds enthusiastically – some gardeners love this, others find it overwhelming
• If you’re in Hawaii or other areas where it’s not native, consider whether local native alternatives might be better choices
• In its native range, it’s an excellent choice for supporting local ecosystems

Blood sage proves that sometimes the best garden plants are those that work hard without asking for much in return. Whether you’re trying to attract more hummingbirds, create a low-maintenance pollinator haven, or just want something that blooms reliably all season long, this cheerful red-flowered beauty might be exactly what your garden needs.