Salvia coccinea

Salvia coccinea is an annual or short-lived perennial native to tropical and subtropical America. Branching stems carry opposite leaves and upright spikes of scarlet two-lipped flowers. The species grows in sunny open ground, roadsides, woodland edges, and disturbed habitats and reseeds readily in warm climates. Research-grade observations document it in Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru. The persistent calyx remains after each corolla falls, and the flower spikes continue lengthening as new buds develop near their tips. Photographed in Colombia.