Salvia greggii Amethyst Lips

Salvia greggii 'Amethyst Lips' is a brand new variety of remarkable shrubby sage introduced at Plantarium in 2018.  This pretty version with purple and white flower versions of the 'Hot Lips' sage has the same characteristics: it is an easy-to-grow and very floriferous perennial shrub, whose flowering changes colour depending on the ambient temperature, going from white to white and purple and then to pure purple. Looking like a bush covered with confetti for several months, it may be easier than 'Hot Lips' to match with many other garden plants. This small bush has a unique presence, in a flower bed as well as in a large pot on the terrace.

Salvia microphylla 'Amethyst Lips' is a brand new selection from a shrubby botanical species called Gregg's Sage. It belongs to the Lamiaceae or Labiate family. The mountains of the east, west and south of Mexico, as well as southern Arizona, are the birthplaces of this aromatic plant. It is a plant that prefers well-draining soil and can tolerate the presence of rocks and limestone in the soil. Its hardiness is around -10°C (14°F) in soil which is almost dry in winter.

'Amethyst Lips' is a well-branched woody perennial plant that has a bushy and spreading habit, a little wider than it is tall. This variety will reach about 70 cm (28in) in all directions at maturity. The nectar-rich flowering is particularly generous, spreading from May to October depending on the climate, slowing down in summer if the soil is dry. Its autumn flowering is remarkable and only stops when the cold puts an end to it. The small two-lipped flowers emerge from the foliage, grouped in spikes. They are barely more than 2 cm (1in) long and live for just one day, covering the ground with their petals in the evening, but will already be replaced the next morning. When the temperature is cool in spring, the flowers are mostly white. In summer, they are bi-coloured, white with purple-violet lips, sometimes entirely violet if it is very hot. In autumn, they are a deeper violet. The foliage is semi-evergreen in winter depending on the temperature. It is composed of small ovate leaves measuring 2 to 4 cm (1 to 2in) in length, with rounded teeth, dark green, thick and aromatic, a little sticky, releasing a strongly acidic essential oil with heat. This sage, known for its drought tolerance, will still require some watering in very dry climates in summer.

This sage is visible from afar and brings life to any flower bed or terrace for almost 6 months. It will accompany the spring blooms of rockroses, rosemary, garden irises, peonies... Its flowering goes well with all shades of mauve, red, pink, purple or blue.  In summer, it will be sublime next to the silver foliage of cotton lavenders, Helichrysum italicum or shrubby wormwoods. But its association with autumn asters is fabulous: choose those that require little, like Aster laevis, Aster turbinellus or Aster amellus for example. Gauras, tall sedums (Sedum 'Matrona'), shrubby potentillas will create a charming tableau with it. 

In Mexico, a tasty tea is prepared with the leaves of this sage, which is called 'mountain myrtle' there.