![]() Drought tolerant when established, can take extreme sun and heat. In the cooler times of spring and fall, the flowers are strongly bi-colored red and white. Blooming from spring until hard frost in fall, the flower color will vary seasonally. Leaves are opposite, small, narrowly oblong and have a pleasant, spicy scent. Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' (Littleaf Sage) has distinctive, brilliantly colored flowers that make 'Hot Lips' Salvia a special selection. Borne at terminal racemes, these are simply magnets for hummingbirds and butterflies. Not to be confused with 'Hot Lips' which is sterile (for me at least). Lipstick is a relatively new variety of Salvia greggii with watermelon reddish-pink, two-lipped, trumpet-shaped flowers each highlighted by a white throat and brown calyx. Autumn sage, known botanically as Salvia. Clear away all of the cuttings to make room for spring growth to emerge. Shear the plant to just 4 inches above the crown during the winter pruning session. But how about 9 months out of 12 with this evergreen ornamental landscape shrub ? Known and valued for its long flowering period, Autumn Sage is a plant that can be smoothly slipped into many different kinds of sunny borders. Prune your autumn sage twice a year in the late winter after all flowering has ceased and again in August to keep the plant more compact in size. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.Want to attract hummingbirds to your gardens year round ? Well, I don't have a plant that will help you do that. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Hot Lips Sage is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It can be propagated by division however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation. To add dimension and height, intersperse foxglove, daisies and cosmos. Salvia greggii, or Autumn Sage, is another beautiful sage with red overtones that complements Hot Lips salvia. This is a selection of a native North American species. Plant clumps of catmint, lavender, and other varieties of salvia for a happy pollinator and hummingbird garden. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 5 years. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 4 feet apart. A garden would look so pretty with a mix of Autumn Sage in different colors 6. While the most common color is red, Autumn Sage can also be found in purple, pink and even white. Hot Lips Sage will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. Here is how my Autumn Sage looks a month after the mega freeze of Feb 2021. The fruit is not ornamentally significant. The foliage often turns burgundy in fall. It tolerates heat and requires little supplemental water after the plant is established. Small 1-inch flowers from spring through fall. The branches originate near the base of the plant resulting in a vase-shaped appearance. Its small tomentose narrow leaves are green in color. Autumn sage works well in containers, borders, or mass plantings. Hot Lips Sage has masses of beautiful racemes of fragrant white flowers with red overtones rising above the foliage from late summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Hot Lips Sage is recommended for the following landscape applications: It has no significant negative characteristics. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. ![]() This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage. Hot Lips Sage is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth.
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