Salvia sessei is a perennial that grows in several states in central Mexico between 600 and 7,000 feet elevation on the edge of pine forests and woodlands. It was first collected by the Spanish botanist Martín Sessé y Lacasta

Martín Sessé y Lacasta

Martín Sessé y Lacasta was a Spanish botanist, who relocated to New Spain during the 18th century to study and classify the flora of the territory.-Background:...

 and the Mexican-born Spanish naturalist José Mariano Mociño

José Mariano Mociño

José Mariano Mociño Suárez Lozano , or simply José Mariano Mociño, was a naturalist from New Spain.After having studied philosophy and medicine, he conducted early research on the ecology , geology, and anthropology of his country and other parts of North America.- Biography :He was born in...

. The two were part of the Royal Botanical Expedition of 1777 sent by King Charles III of Spain

Charles III of Spain

Charles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to 1788. He was the eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, the Princess Elisabeth Farnese...

 to Guatemala and Mexico.

Salvia sessei is a large shrub that reaches up to 15 feet in its native habitat and half that size in cultivation. The fresh-green colored deltoid leaves vary in size, but are generally between 2 and 5 inches long. The flowers are a blend of soft red and chartreuse that is similar to those of Salvia regla

Salvia regla

Salvia regla is a deciduous perennial that is native to a small area of the Chisos Mountains in west Texas and a large area of Mexico, in the states of Coahuila, Durango, and Oaxaca. The specific epithet is probably from the town of Regla in the state of Hidalgo. It is also referred to as the...

. The plant is very sensitive to frost.