I have grown two toned microphylla which I am dissapointed in that one ..did not bloom well and sprawled all over the ground ..

Blue ensign I just love and it is upright and large blue blooms and bloomed
all summer long...

blue /black does great here and takes over an entire bed but does stand upright in general..Hummingbirds love it best then the Blue Ensign second..

I have grown the autumn sages and may night and not been especially pleased, also grew Caradona think that was the name..the heat and humidity it did not like here.. It was what I was looking for the height and width
seemed just right for my flower bed..

Am looking for something that is upright and blooms most of the summer about 3 foot tall by 3 foot wide at the most..in warm climates such as zone 8 here where it is hot in su mmer and humid..

anything advertised as growing 3 foot here will actually grow 4 foot..always grows bigger due to our longer warm season..

we get our first frost in mid november
and maybe one or two hard freezes in jan or feb.
with mild winters in the 40s or upper 50s. in daytime

I have morning and mid day sun which is great for my salvias..
Sheri/sheridragonfly

Hi Sheri,

Let me ask @FBTS if he could help and answer your questions.

A few plants come to mind:

Salvia 'Amistad'
S. 'Wendy's Wish' along with it's cousins, 'Love and Wishes' and 'Ember's Wish'
S. cardinalis
S. elegans 'Honey Melon' (which may get too wide for you)
S. microphylla 'Royal Bumble'

There are a goodly number of tender varieties that fit your bill but would be annuals in your climate. Please let me know if you would like me to list a few of these.

Thank you Kermit for posting!

thank you for posting Kermit and Marilyn
I like perennial salvias and thank you for the list..
Blue Ensign did really well here for me ...
but many can not take the humidity nor lower zone 8 heat..
I have it in morning sun and mid day and about 3pm shady..
well drained area with woods behind it...that block the setting sun..

Sheri/sheridragonfly