Salvia Microphylla "Hot Lips" 4Liter

Salvia 'Hot Lips' (4 Litre)

Product Description Salvia 'Hot Lips', commonly known as Sage 'Hot Lips', is an exceptionally charming and vibrant perennial renowned for its striking bi-colored blossoms. The aromatic green foliage forms a neat, bushy subshrub that erupts into masses of playful flowers featuring brilliant cherry-red and crisp white lips. Depending on seasonal temperatures and sunlight, individual blooms can express pure red, solid white, or the signature dual-tone combination on the same plant, delivering continuous visual delight throughout the active growing season.

Supplied established in a 4-litre nursery container, this robust and fast-growing perennial is ready to provide immediate color and pollinator activity to garden beds. Highly resilient and drought-tolerant once established, it thrives in sunny borders, cottage gardens, coastal settings, and patio containers.

Plant Names

• Botanical Name: Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' (syn. Salvia greggii x microphylla)
• Common Names: Sage 'Hot Lips', Cherry Sage, Hot Lips Bush Sage

Product Details

• Container Size: 4 Litre standard nursery container
• Plant Type: Evergreen, aromatic subshrub / flowering perennial
• Foliage: Small, oval, mid-green, highly aromatic leaves that release a pleasant fragrance when brushed or crushed
• Flowers: Two-lipped tubular blossoms featuring eye-catching bi-colored combinations of bright cherry-red and clean white
• Growth Habit: Dense, rounded, and branching shrubby habit
• Mature Size: Approximately 60cm to 90cm in height and width
• Light Requirements: Full sun (requires at least 6 hours of direct daily sunlight for optimal flowering)
• Watering Needs: Low to moderate once established; water regularly during the first growing season and allow soil to dry partially between waterings
• Soil Preference: Light, sandy, or loamy soil with exceptional drainage; intolerant of waterlogged conditions
• Position: Sunny perennial borders, rockeries, pollinator gardens, pathway edges, and decorative patio pots

Benefits

🔴⚪ Playful Bi-Colored Blooms: Striking red-and-white flowers offer dynamic color variation and cheerful garden appeal

🐝 Magnet for Pollinators: Rich nectar draws in honeybees, butterflies, and nectar-feeding birds throughout the active season

🌿 Aromatic Foliage: Crushed leaves release a refreshing fragrance that adds sensory delight along walkways and seating areas

☀ High Heat & Sun Tolerance: Thrives brilliantly in hot, baking sunshine and coastal conditions without fading

🪴 Established 4-Litre Specimen: Well-developed root system ensures rapid establishment and instant structural fullness in the garden

Care & Maintenance

• Light: Plant in an open, fully sun-drenched position to maximize flower production and maintain a compact, bushy growth habit.
• Watering: Water thoroughly when planting, and maintain regular moisture until roots establish. Once mature, it handles dry spells well but appreciates occasional deep watering during extreme heat.
• Pruning: Lightly trim back spent flower spikes and leggy stems in late winter or early spring to encourage dense branching and fresh flowering growth.
• Soil Drainage: Ensure the planting site offers sharp drainage. Avoid heavy, wet clay soils unless amended with organic compost and coarse grit.
• Feeding: Apply a light application of a balanced, slow-release organic fertilizer in early spring to support continuous seasonal blooms.