What hardiness zones is Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' suitable for?

Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 7, 8, 9.

What are the sun requirements for Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips'?

Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' requires Full Sun.

How much water does Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' need?

Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips' has Low water needs.

Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips', baby sage, Hot Lips

1 / 3

Perennials

Salvia microphylla 'Hot Lips'

baby sage, Hot Lips

Lamiaceae

Sierra Madre Occidental, Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora, Jalisco, Oaxaca) and southeastern Arizona; oak woodlands and canyon scrub 4,500–8,000 ft

At a Glance

TypePerennial

HabitMounding

FoliageSemi-evergreen

Height24-36 inches (60-90 cm)

Width24-36 inches (60-90 cm)

Growing Zones

USDA Hardiness Zones

7 - 9

Zone 7

Zone 8

Zone 9

These zones indicate the coldest temperatures this plant can typically survive.

Frost Tolerancehardy

Key Features

Attracts Pollinators

Attracts Butterflies

Attracts Hummingbirds

Deer Resistant

Drought Tolerant

Fragrant (moderate)

Container Friendly

Native to North America

Maintenancelow

Overview

A compact, semi-woody subshrub in the family Lamiaceae, a named cultivar of Salvia microphylla native to the oak woodlands, canyon scrub, and rocky slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico and southeastern Arizona. Plants form dense, rounded clumps 24–36 inches (60–90 cm) tall and wide of small, oval to rounded, strongly aromatic, slightly sticky leaves 0.5–1.25 inches (1.5–3 cm) long on semi-woody stems. From late spring through fall, upright racemes carry tubular, two-lipped flowers 0.75–1 inch (2–2.5 cm) long in a distinctive bicolor pattern: bright red upper lip and white lower lip. The flower color is temperature-sensitive — cool conditions (below 60°F / 16°C) produce mainly white flowers; very hot conditions produce mainly red flowers; the classic red-and-white bicolor occurs at moderate temperatures (65–75°F / 18–24°C). In the Pacific Northwest, where temperatures are frequently in the bicolor range, the classic pattern is reliably displayed for most of the season. Intensely attractive to hummingbirds. Hardy to zone 7 with good drainage. Non-toxic.

Native Range

Salvia microphylla is native to the oak woodlands, canyon scrub, and rocky slopes of the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico (Chihuahua, Sonora, Jalisco, Oaxaca) and southeastern Arizona, growing in well-drained, lean soils at elevations of 4,500–8,000 feet (1,400–2,400 m).

Suggested Uses

Planted in mixed perennial borders, rock gardens, courtyard gardens, and hummingbird plantings at 24–30 inch (60–75 cm) spacing. The bicolor red-and-white flowers combine well with both cool-toned blue perennials (agastache, nepeta) and warm companions (rudbeckia, kniphofia). Effective in containers (minimum 5-gallon / 19L) overwintered frost-free in zones below 7. One of the most reliably attractive semi-tender salvias for Pacific Northwest conditions.

How to Identify

Identified by dense, rounded, semi-woody clumps of small, oval, strongly aromatic slightly sticky leaves, producing racemes of tubular two-lipped flowers in a temperature-sensitive bicolor of bright red upper lip and white lower lip — shifting toward all-white in cool conditions and all-red in heat. The bicolor character, very small aromatic leaves with a fruity-sage scent, and semi-woody clumping habit distinguish 'Hot Lips' from S. greggii cultivars (which are non-bicolor) and annual salvias.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height2' - 3'

Width/Spread2' - 3'

Colors

Flower Colors

red

white

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

no change

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~24 weeks

SpringSummerFall

Blooms late May through October in zones 7–9 — up to 5 months of nearly continuous flowering. In cool Pacific Northwest summers, flowering continues nearly without pause throughout the season. The bicolor effect is most consistently displayed at Pacific Northwest summer temperatures (60–75°F / 16–24°C), making this cultivar particularly well-suited to the region.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

bicolor: bright red upper lip and white lower lip (temperature-sensitive — all-white in cool, all-red in heat, classic bicolor at moderate temperatures)

Foliage Description

small, oval to rounded, dark green, strongly aromatic, slightly sticky; semi-woody stems

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

Full Sun

Requires 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sandrockyloam

Drainage

well drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Plant in full sun in lean, sharply drained, neutral to slightly acid soil with a pH of 6.0–7.5. Excellent drainage is essential — wet soils cause crown rot, especially in winter. Avoid rich or heavily amended soils; lean conditions produce the most flowers and the most compact, cold-hardy growth. Drought-tolerant once established. In zone 7, plant against a warm, sheltered wall and mulch the crown in fall. Shear back by one-half in early spring to stimulate vigorous new growth.

Pruning

Shear back all stems by one-half to two-thirds in early spring before new growth begins — the essential annual maintenance. An optional light shear in midsummer maintains compact form and encourages a fresh flush of bicolor flowers in fall. Remove dead stem sections after winter. The plant resproutes reliably from semi-woody stems or the root crown after frost damage.

Pruning Schedule

early spring

Maintenance Level

low

Container Growing

✓ Suitable for container growing

Minimum container size: 5 gallons

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Non-toxic