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Scarlet Sage cultivar

Salvia splendens 'Vista Red'

Vista series

V Written by Editorial Team · Updated January 2026

Salvia splendens ‘Vista Red’ is a compact scarlet sage grown mainly as a warm season bedding annual in North America. It is best known for a tight, uniform habit and strong red flower spikes above dark green foliage. This variety fits small garden beds and containers where taller salvias would feel too heavy. It performs best in full sun with steady moisture and fast drainage. Blooming is typically strongest from summer into fall, but timing varies by climate and planting date. Like other red salvias, it is not frost hardy and should be planted after nights stay warm.

Scarlet Sage, Salvia splendens ‘Vista Red’
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Vista Red

Vista series

At‑a‑glance

  • Group/Class: Vista series
  • Height × spread: about 10 to 12 in by about 8 in (25 to 30 cm by about 20 cm)
  • Bloom window: summer to frost (varies by climate)
  • Color & flower form: scarlet red tubular flowers on upright spikes
  • Fragrance: 0
  • USDA hardiness: tender perennial in zones 10 to 11, grown as annual in most of North America
  • Breeder / Year / Origin: unknown
  • Cut-flower notes: not typically used as a cut flower
  • Pet safety: unknown

How it differs

  • Stays shorter and denser than many standard red salvias grown for mass bedding.
  • Works better for edging and small containers than taller, older cultivars.
  • Usually looks tidy without staking when grown in strong light.
  • Best impact comes from planting in groups rather than as a single specimen.

Strengths

  • Compact form that holds shape in beds.
  • Strong color presence for borders and mass plantings.
  • Fits mixed containers without overpowering neighboring plants.

Care in one minute

Site: open air, good airflow, avoid soggy low spots.

Light: full sun is best, part shade is workable in hot climates.

Soil and drainage: well drained garden soil, avoid waterlogged beds.

Water: keep evenly moist while establishing, then water when the top soil dries.

Feeding: light, steady feeding is usually enough, avoid excess nitrogen.

Grooming: remove spent spikes to encourage more bloom, pinch early for branching if needed.

Watch‑outs

  • Can slow down in flowering after a heavy flush unless old spikes are removed.
  • Poor drainage can lead to root decline in wet periods.

Best uses (tags)

  • borders
  • containers
  • mass planting
  • edging
  • warm season color

Provenance note

‘Vista Red’ is widely treated as a compact bedding type of Salvia splendens and is commonly grouped within the Vista series in nursery and trial contexts.

References

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Scarlet Sage, Salvia splendens ‘Vista Red’

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Written by: Your Flowers Guide editorial team
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