Salvia Microphylla 'Hot Lips'
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Hot Lips Sage / Little Leaf Sage
Botanical Name: Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’
Family: Lamiaceae
Origin: Mexico and Southwest USA
Plant Type: Evergreen perennial shrub
Overview
Playful and eye-catching, Salvia microphylla ‘Hot Lips’ delivers a spectacular display of red and white bicolour blooms from spring through late autumn. In Adelaide’s Mediterranean climate, it thrives in the heat, sun, and low water conditions, making it a favourite for pollinator gardens, cottage borders, and bright alfresco pots. Aromatic foliage, long flowering, and remarkable toughness make it one of the most rewarding salvias for South Australian gardeners.
Key Features
- Mature Size: 0.8–1.0 m H × 0.8–1.0 m W (rounded habit)
- Growth Rate: 25-40 cm per year under good conditions
- Foliage: Small, aromatic, mid-green leaves; occasionally bronzes in dry or cold conditions
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Flowers: Striking red and white bicolour tubular blooms; colour balance can shift with temperature (more red in heat, more white in cool weather)
- Seasonal Interest: Exceptionally long flowering season; evergreen foliage ensures year-round texture
- Wildlife Value: Excellent nectar source for bees, butterflies, and honeyeaters
- Tolerance: Drought-tolerant (once established), heat-tolerant, wind-tolerant, coastal-tolerant (front-line); light frost (protect from hard frost)
- Planting Density: 1 plant per m² or 0.6–0.8 m apart in borders
- Pet Friendly: Non-toxic to cats and dogs (ingesting large amounts of foliage may cause mild tummy upset
Where It Works Best
- Sunlight: Full sun for maximum flower colour; tolerates light shade with slightly reduced bloom intensity
- Soil: Prefers free-draining sandy or loamy soil; tolerates neutral to slightly alkaline or mildly acidic conditions common across Adelaide
- Water Needs: Establishment: 2 deep soaks/week for 8–12 weeks. Established: deep soak every 10–14 days in summer; monthly in winter if dry
- Maintenance: Light prune after each flowering flush to maintain compactness; Hard prune by one-third in late winter to rejuvenate growth; Avoid over-fertilising; a light compost mulch in spring is ideal
- Lifespan: 5–8+ years in suitable conditions
- Climate Zones: Ideal for Mediterranean and temperate SA, thriving across Adelaide plains, Barossa, Fleurieu, and coastal gardens
- Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline (tolerates mild acidity)
Landscape & Design Ideas
- Pollinator & Cottage Gardens: Use in mixed borders with Gaura, Lavender, Coreopsis, or Catmint for constant seasonal colour
- Dry & Coastal Gardens: Pair with Santolina, Westringia, and Eremophila for a waterwise, sun-hardy composition
- Alfresco & Courtyard Containers: Perfect for pots and troughs on sunny patios, providing months of vibrant colour with aromatic foliage
- Informal Edging or Slopes:
Excellent on embankments or garden edges, where its rounded form and long bloom season create definition and movement - Mass Planting for Colour Impact:
Plant in drifts for a sea of red-and-white flowers through the warm months, bringing joyful contrast to native or Mediterranean gardens
Why You Will Love It
Few plants deliver the playful charm and sheer flower power of Salvia ‘Hot Lips’. Thriving in South Australia’s hot, dry summers, it rewards minimal care with a six-month-long display, aromatic foliage, and constant pollinator activity. A cheerful, resilient favourite for modern and traditional gardens alike.