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Hot Lips Salvia

Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips'

$8.24
$8.24 $10.99
per Plant - 5" Deep Pot
Sale | Save 25%
ZONES  8-10 | Good to grow! Zone
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Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' (Littleaf Sage) blooms all summer with eye-catching red and white bicolor flowers. The nectar-rich flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.
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Description

Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' (Littleaf Sage) has distinctive, brilliantly colored flowers that make 'Hot Lips' Salvia a special selection. Blooming from spring until hard frost in fall, the flower color will vary seasonally. In the cooler times of spring and fall, the flowers are strongly bi-colored red and white. When it's hot, the flowers go solid red. Regardless of the time of the growing season, this ever-blooming selection is a beauty. The plant makes a small shrub with age and thrives in poor soils with plenty of heat and sun. Plant with Lavender (Lavandula) and white Appleblossom Grass (Gaura). Javelina resistant

Planting & Care

Tips For Growing Salvia

Salvia (commonly referred to as ‘Sage’) represent a huge family of ornamental plants that attract a variety of pollinators to their nectar rich flowers. They are resistant to deer and rabbits.

  1. Plant in full sun.
  2. Plant native Western Salvia varieties in soil that is low fertility and well-drained.
  3. Plant Old World Salvia in a wide range of soils (loams, sand) including clay.
  4. Many spring-flowering varieties of sage will re-bloom in fall if deadheaded after the first bloom.
  5. New transplants need regular irrigation their first growing season to establish themselves. Once established they will need regular, deep irrigation during hot, dry weather.
  6. During fall garden clean-up, wait to cut back the plants until spring for improved cold hardiness.
  7. In colder USDA zones (zone 6 and below) it is essential to give Native Southwestern and Southwestern hybrids protection from the extreme cold their first couple winters in the garden. Mound up pine needles or fallen autumn leaves over and around the base of the plant.

Western Native Salvia: : It is from the Western US that we find our most beautiful native salvia species. For attracting hummingbirds, there are no finer flowers than the Western native sages. Typically, this group of Salvia prefer ‘lean’ (not very fertile), well drained soils. They will grow in dry clay conditions in arid climates but will rot out in clay soils where there is more than about 15 to 18” of precipitation annually.

Western Salvia include:

  • Salvia greggii - ‘Furman’s Red’, ‘Cold Hardy Pink’
  • Salvia hybrids - ‘Maraschino’, ‘Raspberry Delight’, ‘Ultra Violet’ and ‘Burgundy Seduction’.
  • Salvia pachyphylla and Salvia dorrii is recommended for arid western gardens.
  • Salvia azurea and Salvia reptans - Early fall bloomers with excellent cold hardiness.

To get established in USDA zones 5 & 6, Western Salvia (noted above) must be planted in spring or early summer, not in the fall. Protect your new plants over their first winter or two in your garden. Cover each plant with a generous pile of clean straw or pine needles. This allows the plant's crown (junction of root and branches) to mature and obtain maximum cold hardiness.

Old Wolrd Salvia: The Old World Salvia include some of the very best, most durable, longest-lived perennials. These salvia are an excellent choice for gardeners across most of the United States. ‘Old World’ Sages bloom primarily in shades of blue, pink and white. They are well adapted to cold climates and a wide range of soils including clay. The European Salvia are incredibly attractive to honey bees, many of our native bees and bumble bees as well as butterflies.

Old World varieties include:

  • Salvia syslvestris'Lyrical Rose', 'May Night', 'Little Night', 'Caradonna' and 'Marcus'.
  • Salvia daghestanica
  • Salvia verticiliata

More in-depth guidance for growing Salvia:Planting Nectar Rich Salvia to Attract Pollinators to the Garden

Shipping

As soon as your order is placed you will receive a confirmation email. You will receive a second email the day your order ships telling you how it has been sent. Some perennials are shipped as potted plants, some as perennial roots packed in peat.  The ‘Plant Information’ section describes how that item will ship. All perennials and fall-planted bulbs are packaged to withstand shipping and are fully-guaranteed. Please open upon receipt and follow the instructions included.

Perennials and fall-planted bulbs are shipped at the proper planting time for your Growing Zone. Perennial and fall-planted bulb orders will arrive separately from seeds. If your order requires more than one shipment and all items are shipping to the same address, there is no additional shipping charge. See our shipping information page for approximate ship dates and more detailed information. If you have any questions, please call Customer Service at (801) 769-0300 or contact us by email or chat.

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Key Features

Light Requirements

  • Full Sun

Bloom Time

Late spring

Advantages

  • Attracts Butterflies
  • Attracts Hummingbirds
  • Native
  • Easy To Grow
  • Cut Flowers
  • Fragrant
  • Container Planting
  • Rock Gardens
  • Deer Resistant

Additional information

Mature Height

36-48" tall

Mature Spread

24-36" wide

Soil Type

  • Average Soil
  • Sandy Soil
  • Low Fertility Soil
  • Well-Drained Soil

Soil Moisture

  • Average
  • Waterwise

Planting Time

  • Spring / Summer

Native To

North America

Growing Zones

  • Zone 8
  • Zone 9
  • Zone 10

Can Send To PO Box

No

Ships to Hawaii & Alaska

No

Overall rating: 4.8846154 / 5 from 26 reviews.

AI Generated Review Summary

Summary topics

Review topics: ["packaging","smell","buy","plant","hummingbirds","blooms","flowers","statement"].

Review highlights

Reviews

Plants arrived well packed and

"Plants arrived well packed and in great condition. They have more than tripled in size in a very short period of time. Very happy with my purchase."

— Elizabeth D. (5/5)

Great plant - love the

"Great plant - love the color!!!!"

— Sue V. (5/5)

I love these red and

"I love these red and white salvia plants, and have ordered them before. Now these three new ones are in larger pots. I plan to let them grow there for a season before deciding exactly where they should go in the yard next year."

— Barbara H. (5/5)

"Beautiful healthy plant! Very fast shipping!!!"

— Jeff (5/5)

Plant is already blooming! Very

"Plant is already blooming! Very pretty addition."

— Nina B. (5/5)

They arrived healthy with nice

"They arrived healthy with nice root system; packaged well; can’t wait till flower"

— Brenda L. (5/5)

I definitely recommend this

"Low maintenance and the leaves has this amazing smell. The plant came very healthy ( the roots are not rootbound) with very clear instructions especially for beginners."

— Tina (5/5)

One of my fav plants!

"I bought this plant on a whim, knowing nothing about it. Oh my gosh- this is now one of my most fav plants in my garden! It looks great, has a lovely and unique fragrance & blooms & blooms. It also is xeric. The hummingbirds absolutely love it. This winter has been a light one, it is Jan and it is still blooming. Everything I want in a plant!"

— Dani (5/5)

So unique!

"I have a large perennial bed in my back yard. I add this hot lips saliva for some uniqueness and color. The flower is what amazes me. It looks just like lips in a bright red. It's hardy and doesn't take a lot of care. It arrived securely packed and healthy. I put it on my back porch for a few days to acclimate, watered it and it greened up and started growing even before I planted it. Would definitely order from you again."

— D K. (5/5)

I had a hot lips last year & the hummingbirds loved it!.

"I ordered this in the hopes it will get tall enough for the hummingbirds to get nectar from the flowers. #sweepstakes"

— Dog M. (5/5)

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