Salvia ‘Hot Lips’

Introduced by Richard Turner who found it at a friends’ house in Mexico, whose housekeeper, Alta Gracia, had been growing it outside her room. A cutting was brought back and first grown at San Francisco Botanical Garden (Strybing Arboretum). It has unusual red and white bicolor flowers. At times the plant will have all red or all white flowers, but it will always go back to the bicolored ones. Alta Gracia, being a spiritual woman, would probably not approve of the name 'Hot Lips' chosen by volunteer propagators at S.F. Bot., but we think it is well chosen. Grows to about 2-1/2’ tall to 6’ wide. Probably a sport of Salvia microphylla. Prune hard in late winter to encourage vigorous growth & continuous blooms.

Kelly Kilpatrick