Salvia madrensis ,Gold Fountain Sage

Salvia madrensis
 Gold Fountain Sage

There are some 800 species of Salvia many of which have become popular garden plants. This is one of the tall growing species (2 metres) and is native to the Sierra Madre Oriental in Mexico. From now until winter it produces lots of these butter yellow flowers which attract honey eating birds. It has fairly brittle stems and is easily damaged by wind so it needs a sheltered spot to grow well. It is a good shade plant and can be grown along a fence line between buildings in a place which receives no sun in winter and then quite good light over summer. After flowering it can be cut to ground level to tidy it up. Otherwise it is generally fairly hardy but will only tolerate light frost.
2017 update: Oh dear What a monster. I no longer grow it.