Big Red Sage

Salvia pentstemonoides

AKA: Penstemon Sage

Size: Up to 4' tall and wide

Lighting requirements: Full to part sun

Seasonal interest: Summer-fall blooms (red)

Winter: Semi-evergreen

Soil requirements: Prefers alkaline soils. Will grow in clay soils, but may be prone to rotting.

Wildlife: Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds

Deer-resistance: Minimal

This plant was rediscovered in the 1980s after thought to be extinct. You can find it growing wild in only a few places in central Texas. A canyon in Bandera County and at Frederick Creek in Boerne are two of those locations.