Amethyst Lips Sage Plants

Amethyst Lips Sage Plants

Amethyst Lips Sage is a bushy, twiggy variety with charming little flowers that vary in colour over the season: sometimes all rich purple, sometimes half white, half purple. They're in flower at least June to August, but in a cosy, sheltered spot they'll go on for much longer. To about 60cm tall.

Browse our range of Salvia varieties or all of our perennial plants.

Features

• Colour: Variable bicolour, purple & white
• Flowering: May / June to August / September.
• Foliage: Mid green leaves.
• Height: 60cm.
• Position: Full sun.
• Soil: Any except heavy clay.
• RHS Plants for Pollinators
• Culinary herb

Growing Amethyst Lips Salvia

Salvias need close to full sun, and will grow near the coast in exposed locations. They're fully hardy, although their flowering season will be shortened somewhat in cold and windy places. They're happy on chalk, and like a light, well-drained but moist soil enriched with humus that doesn't remain wet in winter, so heavy clay isn't good. They're perfect for a Mediterranean or gravel garden, and are great in large containers. Established plants are drought resistant, but still want fairly consistent moisture in dry summer periods to flower really well.
They're perfect for a Mediterranean or gravel garden, and are great in large containers.

Deadhead promptly to get the most from the flowering season, and prune out all the two-year-old growth (over about 1cm wide) in spring, ideally after the last frost, leaving the smaller shoots.

Mulch lightly every year or two, ideally after a heavy spring rain when the soil has warmed up. Salvias don't need much fertility, so a little help goes a long way.

Garden Design Ideas

The striking two-tone deep purple and white flowers, sometimes white and sometimes purple, make this ideal for planting in a generous pot to create a spectacular display for several months well into autumn. They can be left to show themselves off on their own or you could soften with the likes of trailing ivy or the silver-leaved Helichrysum 'Goring Silver' planted around the edges. Calibrachoa million bells or Convolvulus cneorum would look good added to the mix. In borders, combine with a lovely rose such as an Iceburg. Altogether an incredibly popular plant with garden designers.

History & Trivia

This variety was derived from Salvia Hot Lips by amateur breeder David Dyson, and is registered under the code 'dyspurp'.