Hot Lips Sage

Hot Lips Sage | Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’ | Hot Lips Littleleaf Sage | Salvia ‘Hot Lips’

Hot Lips Sage is a stunning, sun-loving herbaceous perennial (often evergreen in warmer zones) prized for its spectacular, continuous profusion of striking, bi-colored bright cherry-red and pure white flowers that bloom prolifically from early summer all the way until the first frost. This exceptionally tough, heat-tolerant selection is known for its remarkable, bushy habit and finely textured, highly aromatic dark green foliage. Interestingly, its blooms may shift to solid red during the hottest days of summer or solid white in cooler weather, adding a dynamic, ever-changing element to the garden. Its nectar-rich blossoms are an absolute magnet for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, making it a spectacular, low-maintenance thriller for sunny landscape borders, rock gardens, and large mixed patio containers. With its bold, two-toned color and reliable performance through challenging, dry conditions, Hot Lips offers an extraordinary display of vibrant summer blooms with exceptionally straightforward care.

Growing Hot Lips Sage

Light: Full sun; thrives in bright, direct sunlight (at least 6 to 8 hours per day) to produce the most abundant blooms, the strongest stems, and maintain a tight, bushy form. Too much shade will cause the plant to become leggy and significantly reduce flowering.

Soil: Light, well-drained soil; highly adaptable to poor, sandy, or rocky soils as long as drainage is excellent. It is extremely susceptible to root rot in heavy, waterlogged clay, especially during the cold, wet winter months.

Water: Low to moderate; water regularly until established, then allow the top few inches of soil to dry out completely between waterings. It is exceptionally drought-tolerant once mature and strongly dislikes consistently wet feet.

Maintenance: Exceptionally low maintenance. Lightly shear the plant back in mid-summer if it becomes unwieldy to encourage a fresh, dense flush of foliage and a renewed wave of blooms. Prune hard in late winter or early spring (cutting back by about one-third to one-half) just before new growth emerges to maintain its shape and remove older, woody stems.

Wildlife: Highly attractive to hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies; naturally deer- and rabbit-resistant due to its strongly aromatic foliage.

Hardiness: Perennial in USDA zones 7–10; widely grown as a spectacular, fast-growing summer annual in all cooler regions.

Shipping Info

Hot Lips Sage plants are shipped as healthy 5 gallon nursery pots. Allow 1–2 weeks after arrival for plants to recover from shipping and resume active growth before repotting or planting outdoors.