This plant was grown for many years by a woman named Yvonne in her Massachusetts garden. She reportedly saved and used only the seeds from her tallest plants. They became a 6 foot tall strain for her. When she felt age prevented her from continuing her gardening, she passed thousands of seeds to another gardener. This friend in turn shared them with many, many other gardeners over the internet. As a result of gardeners sharing Yvonne's seeds with one another, Yvonne's strain is now grown all over the U.S. as well as in other countries around the world. To my knowledge, by Yvonne's request, the seeds are not sold commercially. They can only be obtained from other generous gardeners.

Yvonne didn't remember the name of her plant when she passed on the seeds, but the consensus among gardeners growing them seems to be that they are a strain of salvia splendens. I have been growing these plants for 5 years and my plants range from 36 to 50 inches, not near Yvonne's 6 foot plants. Still, they're the prettiest annual salvias I have ever seen. Hummingbirds love them!

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Seeds will just sit there if conditions are not warm enough. I live in the Pacific Northwest and use the winter sow technique usually (sowing in late April or May). Sometimes they don't germinate until the middle of June.

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