Annual Salvia recommendation?

I have tried several mid-sized annual salvias in the past few years (splendens: bonfire, flare, hotline red; coccinea), and while they look good for a while, they don't seem to last all summer like the seed supplier blurbs say. Can anyone recommend a variety that will stick around at least to September in Zone 6?

Will they rebloom if dead-headed? I've never tried that.

What if you grew a first year flowering perennial type?
I am growing salvia patens, but they are not flowering yet,-- because I started them later.

I have plenty of perennial salvias (Violet Queen, Rose Queen, etc), but I wanted a bed of red flowers in one particular spot (and not geraniums) so I thought annual salvias might be the way to go.

My experience with the red salvia is that it seems to like about half sun/half shade, instead of full sun where it can litterally burn up. It like to be watered now and again. It also liked a little fertilizer drink (bloomer fert). I've had the red bed and liked it as well. It really grabs your attention. Wisconsin Rotary Garden had a Red Bed a few years back and I happen to have a picture. Was interesting as they used a lot of red foliage in theirs.

Don - I've grown both annual and perennial Salvias. I love the perennials because they come back each year, but my best luck with season-long blooming is with annual Salvias.

I particularly like the Tall or Medium Red Salvias and the Blues like 'Victoria' and so do the hummingbirds. Even when they're finished blooming, the flowers keep looking good until frost in my Zone 5a climate. I've never really seen a name on the red ones I buy...just Tall or Medium Red. Also, if you like White Salvias, Victoria also comes in white.

I still see some in the garden centers, even this late in the season, but if you're planning for next year you can even grow them from seed in spring or winter sow some.

Just read an article about the 2011 AAS, Salvia coccinea "Summer Jewel Red" salvia and apparently it will bloom from seed in only about 50 days. Apparently this cultivar was chosen for its early and abundant flowering that continues until fall frosts, as well as its dense branching habit and relatively low stature. My personal luck with the red ones, similar to this one, is to break off their spent blooms so they continue to bloom more profusely not having to put energy into seed making.
For sure a hummingbird attracter. Google the All-America Selections for the best info.

Great info, Brenda, Thanks! Sounds like my kind of Salvia.

Hope it is really helpful.

Thanks, Brenda. Apparently Park, Harris, Jung and several others have seeds.

And NutsAbout.., I may try the Victoria next year in my blue bed. Thanks.

The blue Victoria is sold as an annual in my area, but it performs most always like a perennial. We had a long winter with low single digits and my blue Victoria survived. After getting involved with this thread and remembering I recently saw white Victoria plants on clearance, I decided to purchase some and see if they behaved like a perennial as well as the blue. I really like perennials or annuals that reseed. It is easier on my pocket purse. I was thinking how pretty a drift of white Victoria and a drift of blue Victoria would be, but most of my available space for that kinds of drifts is already taken up for 14'. But maybe another year.

I think you will really like "Summer Jewel Red", you might could go with it this year as it takes about 50 days to make??????????