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Salvia 'Hot Lips'

Hot Lips Sage

Plant photo of: Salvia 'Hot Lips'
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Information by: The Plant Nerd Inc.        Photographer:

 

Description

Salvia 'Waverly' is a perennial shrub that reaches 5' tall and wide. It needs full sun and medium amount of water. Red mixed with white flowers bloom in the spring but this shrub has blossoms most of the year. This shrub will get knocked down to the ground when the first frost arrives; however, it will come back vigorously especially if pruned in February or March. Hummingbirds love the flowers.

Maintenance Tips

Salvia 'Hot Lips' is a hybrid of Salvia microphylla and has been selected for the two-toned flowers that display both white and bright red. This hybrid matures at 5’ tall and wide and can grow much larger than the common descriptions. It is a very fast grower and is often planted in locations where it quickly becomes overcrowded so it becomes the victim of shearing and poor pruning. The best way to keep it low maintenance is to give it the space it requires to reach maturity, then use the thinning method, pruning out the longest branches and allowing sunlight to the interior of the plant. All of the flowers are born at the tips of the branches, so hedging is discouraged as it will cut off the blooming potential. However, deadheading spent blooms can increase the blooming cycle. This plant rarely has any pest or disease issues and rarely requires any kind of fertilizer to look and perform its best.

 

Plant Type

Perennial

Height Range

3-6'

Flower Color

Red, White, Multi-Colored

Flower Season

Spring, Intermittent

Leaf Color

Green

Bark Color

n/a

Fruit Color

n/a

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Full

Water

Medium

Growth Rate

Fast

Soil Type

Sandy, Loam

Soil Condition

Average, Poor, Well-drained, Dry

Soil pH

Neutral

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish, Wild Garden

Accenting Features

Showy Flowers, Specimen

Seasonal Interest

Spring

Location Uses

Background, Perennial Border, Patio, Park, Parking Lot, Raised Planter

Special Uses

Container, Cut Flowers, Filler, Mass Planting

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

Water Saving Tip:

Mulching and adding compost to soil can minimize evaporation and help soil absorb and store water.