Salvia can be annuals, biennials, herbaceous or evergreen perennials, or shrubs. They have paired, simple or pinnately lobed, often aromatic leaves and 2-lipped flowers in whorls, forming simple or branched spikes or racemes
'Van-Houttei' is a tender, erect perennial with ovate leaves and dark red stems bearing inflorescences to 25cm in length, with spaced whorls of scarlet flowers from purple calyces, in late summer and autumn