Hot Lips Sage
Salvia microphylla
Also listed as Salvia grahamii, Lasemia coccinea
Also known as Blackcurrant Sage, Cherry Sage, Baby Sage
Climate Match for your location
See how well Hot Lips Sage grows in your area.
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Hot Lips Sage is a compact, tender perennial shrub prized for its striking bicolor red-and-white tubular flowers that deepen in color during cool weather. A prolific bloomer and reliable pollinator magnet, it thrives in dry conditions and is ideal for xeriscaping and container gardens.
Why grow it
Hot Lips Sage offers reliable summer and fall color from a compact plant suited to water-limited gardens, distinguishing it from taller or thirstier Salvia relatives. Its bicolor flowers and extended bloom period make it useful for continuous pollinator support in xeriscaped beds and containers where many ornamentals falter. Compared to other microphylla cultivars, this selection's cold-responsive color deepening provides visual interest across seasons without requiring deadheading to maintain blooms.
Watch out for
In regions colder than USDA zone 8, plan for winter die-back or container cultivation for overwintering indoors, as cold hardiness varies with local conditions. Established plants are drought-tolerant but benefit from supplemental water during establishment and extreme heat to support consistent flowering.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Native Range
Mexico (Jalisco)
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Notable Cultivars
Hot Lips is the most popular cultivar, known for its temperature-sensitive red-and-white bicolor flowers. Cerro Potosí is a closely related cultivar with solid red flowers and similar growing requirements.
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Hot Lips Sage is a compact, tender perennial shrub prized for its striking bicolor red-and-white tubular flowers that deepen in color during cool weather. A prolific bloomer and reliable pollinator magnet, it thrives in dry conditions and is ideal for xeriscaping and container gardens.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Hot Lips Sage grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Hot Lips Sage offers reliable summer and fall color from a compact plant suited to water-limited gardens, distinguishing it from taller or thirstier Salvia relatives. Its bicolor flowers and extended bloom period make it useful for continuous pollinator support in xeriscaped beds and containers where many ornamentals falter. Compared to other microphylla cultivars, this selection's cold-responsive color deepening provides visual interest across seasons without requiring deadheading to maintain blooms.
Watch out for
In regions colder than USDA zone 8, plan for winter die-back or container cultivation for overwintering indoors, as cold hardiness varies with local conditions. Established plants are drought-tolerant but benefit from supplemental water during establishment and extreme heat to support consistent flowering.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Lamiaceae
Native Range
Mexico (Jalisco)
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Shrub
Woody multi-stem plants at eye level.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Similar shrubs you might consider:
Enter your ZIP code to see top native species and strong climate fits for you.
Companion Planting
Plants well with
Notable Cultivars
Hot Lips is the most popular cultivar, known for its temperature-sensitive red-and-white bicolor flowers. Cerro Potosí is a closely related cultivar with solid red flowers and similar growing requirements.