With its vivacious bicolor heyday in red and white , Hot Lips sage ( Salvia microphylla ‘ Hot Lips ’ ) is one of the most popular ornamental salvias . This pretty plant thrives with dewy-eyed care , rewarding the gardener with sempiternal flush perfect for bouquets
In this article . we will hide everything you need to eff about successfully growing Hot Lips sage including
By be some canonical road map , you could keep your Hot Lips sage front beautiful and blooming profusely season after season .
About Hot Lips Sage
Hot Lips sage is a intercrossed cultivar of Salvia microphylla , the Graham sage . It was bred by the Walters Gardens nursery in Michigan and introduce commercially in the 1990s .
This semi - woody subshrub grows rapidly to shape a shaggy-coated hillock configuration , reaching 2 - 3 foot tall and wide . The small fleeceable leaves have a pleasing redolent smell when squelch .
From previous natural spring until frost , the flowers appear in loose terminal spikes . The flower shift in colouring based on temperature , exhibiting more red pigment in hot weather .
As a member of the sage family , Hot Lips sage pull in pollinators while resisting deer and rabbits . Once establish , it is quite drouth tolerant .
Growing Conditions for Hot Lips Sage
This salvia flourish in the following term :
Hot Lips salvia struggles with sloshed soil , humidity , acute cold , and unreasonable plant food . internet site it cautiously to cater optimum growing conditions .
Planting Hot Lips Sage
you could instal plants in spring or fall . Allow 1 - 3 feet between plants for good airwave circulation . Here are top for planting :
Transplanting Established Plants
To move an existing Hot Lips sage works , comply these steps :
Watering Needs
Young plants need hebdomadary cryptic watering
base plants are drouth tolerant but bloom best with occasional irrigation
hock soil thoroughly then allow to dry between tearing
Avoid cockeyed leaves , which can result to disease
Do not overwater , as plant is prostrate to settle down rot
Ensure good drainage or amend soil to prevent waterlogged conditions
Fertilizing Hot Lips Sage
apply a balanced organic fertilizer in other springtime
Or apply a slow - release granular fertilizer at get-go of growing season
Monthly liquidity feeding with Pisces photographic emulsion or seaweed solution
Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers , which make leggy growth
Prevent bitter by limiting fertiliser after September
Pruning Hot Lips Sage
Prune annually in early spring , cutting back by 1/3
take dead or damaged growth anytime
cabbage off spent flower spikes to encourage young blossom
Cut back severely every 2 - 3 years to rejuvenate plants
Pruning stimulates lush new emergence and abundant flowering
Pests, Diseases, and Environmental Problems
Hot Lips sage is repellent to serious issues but may encounter :
Powdery mold in humidness – meliorate flow of air
Root rot in wet soil – do not overwater
Aphids on newfangled growth – spray off with water supply or practice insecticidal Georgia home boy
Leaf spot fungus – remove dissemble leaf promptly
deficiency of flowers in utmost heat energy or cold – site in optimal clime
Leggy , unresolved growth in too much shade or nitrogen – increase light and deoxidize fertilizer
Overwintering Hot Lips Sage
In zones 8 - 10 , Hot Lips salvia may die back but re - emerge in spring
Provide winter mulch in colder zones for root protection
make out back by half in spill for exposed sites if implicated about winterkill
Potted plant should be moved indoors before frost
Keep dormant plants nerveless and very lightly moist over winter
transplanting new works in springtime after danger of freeze has passed
Propagating from Cuttings
Hot Lips sage is easy to propagate from semi - hardwood cuttings in summertime :
From a small start , Hot Lips sage will quickly grow into a stellar garden performing artist . With care to its canonic needs , this broken plant will beautify the landscape for year to come with happy-go-lucky color . The vivacious blooms make a arresting addition to borders , container , and pollinator gardens .
How to Look After Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ and Similar Varieties
Can red-hot mouth Sage mature in hot atmospheric condition ?
Sometimes call “ Baby salvia ” , they can farm in a temperate climate and can also handle a mild drought . Hot Lips salvia are bushy plants with prospicient sparse stem that boast bright flowers . In cooler weather , Hot Lips salvia has two toned , chance on red and white flowers . In hot weather , the intact flower will turn red-faced .
What is a live sassing Sage ?
Hot Lips Salvia ( Salvia Microphylla ) is a unique , evergreen bushy sage with bright white and red flowers . Learn how to worry for them in this guide ! These one of a kind two toned flowers adorn thin stalking with rhomb determine green leaves . vasiform in chassis , the Hot Lips flush is a frequent terminus for hummingbirds and pollinators .
How do you propagate Hot Lips Sage ?
Hot Lips Sage can be propagated through bow cuttings or by dissever mature plants . To distribute through stem cutting , take a 4 - 6 inch cutting from a healthy plant and move out the lower leaves . Dip the cut remnant in rootle endocrine and found it in a well - draining potting mix . Keep the cutting moist and place it in a warm , shining location .
Is Hot Lips Sage a perennial ?
This succinct perennial plant life is native to Mexico and belongs to the sight family . With its vibrant crimson and blanched flowers , it is a favourite among gardeners and pollinator likewise . In this blog post , we will explore the various prospect of growing and care for Hot Lips Sage .
