High Country Gardens
Maraschino Salvia
Best low-maintenance shrub for gardeners seeking vibrant, wildlife-friendly perennial color.
The Maraschino Salvia is a vibrant native hybrid, a cross between Salvia microphylla and Salvia greggii, celebrated for its luscious, deep cherry-red blooms. This perennial shrub offers an extended flowering period, gracing your garden with color from early summer through fall. It's a magnet for hummingbirds and butterflies, yet resistant to deer and rabbits. Once established, it boasts high drought tolerance and low maintenance needs, thriving in well-drained soil. Its fast growth and cold hardiness make it a resilient and beautiful addition to any landscape.
$10.19
Owner Satisfaction
4.7
/ 5
Category Rank
34
/ 2598
#34 in Bushes & Shrubs
Price vs Category Average
-74%
Below average
Growth Habit
Shrub
/ Shrub
Who it's for
- Wildlife advocates looking to attract hummingbirds and pollinators
- Gardeners seeking high-impact, long-lasting seasonal color
- Xeriscaping enthusiasts prioritizing low-water, drought-tolerant landscaping
Who should skip it
- Cold-climate gardeners living in zones below seven
- Homeowners with heavy clay or poorly draining soil
- Busy gardeners preferring low-maintenance, hands-off plant varieties
Performance breakdown
Pollinator Attraction
A high-performance magnet for hummingbirds and butterflies throughout the season.
Drought Resilience
Thrives with minimal intervention once the root system is fully established.
Bloom Longevity
Provides consistent, vibrant color from early summer deep into autumn.
Pest Resistance
Reliably deters deer and rabbits without the need for chemical barriers.
Maintenance Ease
Low-effort perennial that demands very little from the casual gardener.
Climate Adaptability
Impressive cold hardiness allows for success across a wide range of zones.
Key Specs
Growth Habit
Shrub
Mature Height
3.0 feet
Mature Spread
1.5 feet
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial Shade
USDA Hardiness Zones
Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9, Zone 10
Plant Life Cycle
Perennial, Shrub
Water Requirement
Moderate
Soil Type Preference
Well-drained
Features
- Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies
- Long bloom time from early summer through fall
- Very cold hardy
- Resistant to deer and rabbits
- Drought tolerant once established
- Low maintenance requirements
- Native hybrid variety
- Suitable for containers
What customers say
Customers consistently highlight the exceptional quality and reliability of the Maraschino Salvia. Gardeners are thrilled with the plant's vigorous growth and its ability to establish quickly, often exceeding expectations for size and bloom density in the first season. The deep, true red color is a major draw, proving reliable even under intense summer sun. This salvia is viewed as a high value investment that delivers consistent, long lasting color and attracts pollinators effectively, making it a standout performer in perennial beds.
Know before you buy
This plant prefers partial sun to partial shade. In hotter climates, it performs best with morning sun and afternoon shade to protect the foliage from intense heat.
Yes, the Maraschino Salvia is considered resistant to both deer and rabbits. While no plant is completely immune to hungry wildlife, its scent and texture usually discourage them from browsing.
Absolutely. Its compact size and shrub-like habit make it a great candidate for containers, provided you use a well-draining potting mix and ensure the pot has adequate drainage holes.
While it requires moderate watering initially to get established, it becomes quite drought-tolerant once settled into the garden. After the first season, you will only need to water it during extended dry spells.
The Maraschino Salvia is cold hardy in USDA zones 6 through 10. If you live in the colder end of that range, it is a resilient perennial that will return each year.
It is a low-maintenance plant that generally does not require much fuss. You can lightly prune it in late winter or early spring to encourage a bushier shape and remove any dead growth from the previous season.
Still have a question?
Ask Hayley anything about this product before you decide.
Ready to buy?
$10