Salvia microphylla Hot
lips is exceptional in the garden. The bright red and white
flowers make a splash in any garden. Hot lips flower color patterns
are not consistent. They will vary on an individual plant at any
given time with some being almost completely white and others completely
red. I think this adds to the entertainment value of the
plant. But it is also a sign of the instability of the color pattern
and the two toned flowers can revert to red. Salvia microphylla species make a great, if a little
enthusiastic, garden plants. This Salvia does well in light shade but
flowers more prolifically in
full sun. This specimen is growing in old dune sand near the
coast. Drought stressed leaves turn red.
I have not had issues with plants producing seedlings or being problems in
this way. The Salvia microphylla Hot lips specimens in the ground
have gotten about 3 feet tall and twice that wide. They look a
little ratty in the winter so I cut them back and get an early flush of
flowers in March. The plants are almost always in bloom through late
Fall when it finally gets too cold. Salvia microphylla Hot lips is a great addition to both the Butterfly
Garden as well as the Hummingbird
Garden.
High
resolution images of Salvia microphylla
Hot lips are
available.
