When you can find a long blooming full sun perennial that blooms from early summer to October, you just might want to find a spot for it in the garden. The ‘Wild Thing’ Salvia brings a pinkish-red and a hot pink (all on the same bloom) flower, and aromatic foliage to those sunny spots in the yard.
Its botanical name is Salvia greggii ‘Wild Thing’, and its flowers sort of looks like a small butterfly, don’t they?
‘Wild Thing’ is a member of the Salvia perennials with the common names of autumn sage, and Texas sage. It is native the rocky slopes of west and central Texas, which indicates its tolerance of hot and dry conditions.
Its flowers are most abundant in the spring and the fall, and it is said to be adored by butterflies and hummingbirds. The hardiness zone range is 6 – 10. It is semi-evergreen, and may need winter protection in the colder climates of its hardiness zone.
This perennial needs full sun, and tolerates dry to normal soil moisture conditions. And for those gardeners who have problems with animals munching on the leaves, ‘Wild Thing’ is resistant to deer and rabbits.
It grows between 2’ to 3’ feet in height, and has a spread of the same. Its taller stature makes it great for layering with shorter growing plants in the foreground. The long stems and delicate blooms make this perennial perfect in a cut flower arrangement.
Do you have perennials in your garden?