Hot Lips SalviaÂ
Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’Â
Plant Details
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones:Â 6a-11 Â Find Your Zone
Plant Type:Â PerennialÂ
Height at Maturity:Â 24-36″ in ground, 18-24″ in containers
Width at Maturity:Â 36-48″
Spacing:Â 30″ for mass plantings
Spacing:Â 30″ for mass plantings
Growth Habit / Form:Â Upright, Mounding
Growth Rate:Â Fast
Flower Color: Â White with Red lips!
Flower Size:Â .75″
Flowering Period:Â May to Frost!
Flower Type:Â Single
Fragrant Flowers:Â Â No
Foliage Color:Â Green
Fragrant Foliage:Â No
Berries:Â Â No
Berry Color:Â No
Sun Needs:Â Full Sun or Part Shade
Water Needs:Â Â Average, low when established
Soil Type:Â Â Clay (amended), Loam, Sand (amended), SiltÂ
Soil Moisture / Drainage:Â Well-drained moist to dry
Soil pH:Â 6.0 – 8.0 (Moderately Acid to Moderately Alkaline)
Maintenance / Care:Â Low
Attracts:Â Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Visual Attention
Resistances:Â Deer –Â more info, Disease, Heat, Humidity, Insect, Rabbit
Description
If you are looking for a flowering plant that is sure to draw hummingbirds look no further – Hot Lips Salvia should be at or near the very top of your list!
‘Hot Lips’ is a fast-growing perennial Salvia loaded with some of the most uniquely colored flowers of any plant, and which were perfectly designed for hummingbirds. When the temperatures start to warm up in spring, Hot Lips lives up to her name producing LOADS of white flowers with red lips that beg you to kiss them. But you’ll have to beat the hummingbirds there, who are drawn to the flowers like a magnet. In our gardens here in USDA Zone 8 of mid-Georgia, flowers begin to appear in mid-spring and continue in abundance to the first hard frost in winter.
This selection of the Mexican Salvia was introduced by Richard Turner of California after the plant was shared with him by his maid, who brought it from her home in Mexico.
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing about 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet tall wide, Hot Lips Salvia is ideal for growing in garden beds or large pots, planters and other containers of 18 inches or more in diameter. The reason you want a larger pot is to give the roots plenty of room to grow and so you don’t have to water the plant as much in summer. Planted in the ground the plant won’t require as much attention to watering. If you can, plant Hot Lips Salvia outside a window or close to patios, decks, porches and other outdoor sitting areas so you can enjoy watching the hummingbirds feed from spring to fall. A fine addition to hummingbird gardens, perennial gardens, wildflower gardens, red theme gardens, and cottage gardens.
Note:  For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6, where this Salvia variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.
Growing Preferences
A hardy perennial in USDA Zones 6-11, Hot Lips Salvia can be grown in garden beds or containers. Above Zone 6 it will be an annual or you can grow it in containers that can be overwintered indoors. Whether growing in the ground or containers, it prefers a moist but well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. Flowering will be heavier with more sun. When established, this Salvia is quite drought tolerant when growing in the ground. Keep an eye on plants growing in containers and provide water if you see the foliage starting to wilt on hot sunny days in summer.Â
Helpful Articles
Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts for how to plant and care for Salvia plants.
How To Plant Perennial Salvia & Sage Plants
How To Fertilize & Water Salvia & Sage Plants
How To Prune Salvia & Sage Plants
Plant Long & Prosper!
Meet The Wilson Brothers & Staff
Questions? Contact Us!
I have been planting Hot Lips at the front of the porch for several years, because the hummingbirds just LOVE these! The plant came in great shape, it’s been potted, looks wonderful and the hummingbirds are thrilled (as am I). Thank you and great job!!———————————-We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and great review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG
I was upset when this first arrived because it was so dried out that its leaves crunched. It looked dead. However I immediately soaked it in water and within a day it was fine. Wilson needs to use a more water-retentive soil/medium for shipping. But now 2 weeks later the plant is healthy and blooming beautifully!—————————————–We do our best to make sure plants are hydrated when they arrive. The sage grows in a certain potting mix, as all plants do and its according to how long it took for delivery. Never hesitate to call Customer Service, if need be. We are glad its okay now!! We are glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the nice review! Beth | WBG 🙂
Let it be stated that they arrived looking much better than after being planted. We have far to much rain and cloudy days with cool temperatures. I have never ordered these here and was very impressed with what I received. They were packed so well that it was annoying to get them out. Not one stem broken, really lush and green and much more bushy than I have received from any other company.
While they are annuals here, I buy them for the hummingbirds who fight over them. I cannot wait to see how big these get once the weather turns to summer, hopefully before it snows again! If you want to attract hummingbirds, they flock to these.——————————————-Hi Mowermutt, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Hot Lips Salvia -Sage. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great Review! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens
While they are annuals here, I buy them for the hummingbirds who fight over them. I cannot wait to see how big these get once the weather turns to summer, hopefully before it snows again! If you want to attract hummingbirds, they flock to these.——————————————-Hi Mowermutt, Thanks so much for taking the time to provide your review of the Hot Lips Salvia -Sage. We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy it for years to come! Thanks for the great Review! 🙂
Beth Steele | Wilson Bros Gardens





























Reviews
There are no reviews yet.