Salvia karwinskii is a perennial shrub native to the moist mountain forests of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, typically growing in or near pine or oak forests at 4000 to 8000 ft (1,219.2 to 2,438.4 m) elevation. It is known as a honey-producing plant in those areas, but is rarely seen in private gardens. Specimens are grown at Strybing Arboretum, Huntington Botanical Garden, and University of California Botanical Garden

University of California Botanical Garden

The University of California Botanical Garden is a 34 acre botanical garden located on the University of California, Berkeley campus. The Garden is in the campus's Strawberry Canyon which overlooks the San Francisco Bay...

.

In California gardens, it reaches 8 feet tall and 4 ft wide (8 by), and in the wild it reaches up to 12 ft (3.7 m). The 1 in flowers are inflated and have two lips, ranging in color from brick-red, rose-red, to scarlet, and are carried on many 15 in racemes. The calyx is a showy dark-red, about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm). The stems and petioles of the leaves have short wooly hairs, making them appear gray. The 6 inches (15.2 cm) rough leaves are evergreen, with veining on the underside and light cream-colored hairs.