Salvia microphylla grahamii Hot Lips

The Salvia microphylla Hot Lips is a bush sage that originated in a Mexican garden. A woman who loved flowers discovered it and decided to use it to create a bouquet for a party hosted by her husband, who was the editor-in-chief of the Pacific Horticulture Magazine. This sage stood out because of its bicoloured flowers, unlike anything else at the time. It is a low-maintenance, bushy perennial that blooms for several months and changes colour based on the temperature. The flowers start white, turn white and red, and finally become raspberry red. They cover the bush, creating the appearance of confetti in a sunny flower bed.

The Salvia microphylla grahamii, also known as Graham's Sage, belongs to the family known as Lamiaceae or Labiates. It is an aromatic plant that can grow in the mountains of southern Arizona and the east, west, and south of Mexico. It can tolerate frosts of around -10/-12°C in well-drained or dry soil. This bushy perennial plant can grow quickly and has a flexible habit that is slightly wider than tall. It can grow up to 60 to 80 cm (31.5 in) in height and 80 cm (31.5 in) in diameter. Its nectar-rich and honey-producing flowers are exceptionally generous and bloom from May to October, depending on the climate. The autumn flowering is remarkable and only stops when the cold puts an end to it. The small lip-like flowers come out of the foliage in spikes, barely over 2 cm (0.8 in) long. They live for only one day, falling to the ground in the evening, but they are replaced the following day. The flowers are mostly white in spring when the temperature is cool. In summer, they are bicoloured, white with red-pink lips, sometimes entirely red if it is very hot. In autumn, they turn raspberry red. The semi-evergreen foliage is composed of small, oval leaves, 2 to 4 cm (1.6 in) long, with rounded teeth. They are dark green, thick, and aromatic, a bit sticky, releasing a strongly acidic-scented essential oil when heated. In cold weather, they take on a reddish hue. This sage is known for its drought tolerance, but it still requires some watering in very dry climates during summer.

The Salvia Hot Lips is best suited for mild climates and countryside gardens. It can be found in cottage gardens mixed with various types of bushes and perennials and by the seaside. It thrives in Mediterranean gardens, especially in hot and sunny climates with well-drained and often limestone soils. The plant is ideal for large spaces and can be planted in flower beds or rock gardens alongside other plants such as lavender, gaura, rosemary, cistus, autumn asters, roses, bushy cerastostigma, and grasses. Moreover, it is an excellent plant for terraces and can be easily grown in pots.