My Hotlips looks very scruffy at the moment, despite having some vicious weather thrown at it in recent weeks it has kept some green leaves throughout. I will give it a good haircut in April after the capricious weather has finished. We often have some frost in March, even snow!
I've got two I need to move as they're not quite getting enough sunshine - they've lost all their leaves, but the big ones have at least half of theirs still on, one had been windrocked so badly I had to dig under it and stake it - still leafy as hell, lol! I adore woody salvias, partly because they so beautifully tough.
Years ago you never saw woody salvias in the GC's or nurseries, winters were too cold. They have become more popular with milder winters but this year there will be some losses. I recall helping on an NGS plant stall where every other request was for a woody salvia, infact the next year the decision was for two plant stalls one just salvias. They are easy to propagate, cut back in July off they go again flowering into the autumn. I think there is a colour for everyone from the hot pinks to the soft creams, one of the most useful garden plants available today. With warmer drier summers they will continue to be popular.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
I got my first one from a stall at a plant sale around 20 years ago, just labelled Salvia greggii, hot pink colour. It's still one of the toughest ones I've got.
They seem pretty reliable here, but I'm sure the well-drained pebbly sandy soil helps them get through a cold winter. They never have wet feet for very long. I expect people with heavier soils will have had more losses this winter, but it will be interesting to compare notes in around late April/May about what varieties have survived, which ones haven't and in what sort of conditions.
Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
I have had salvia hot lips in my garden for years and it always looks like its dead in the winter months but i just give it a prune mid march/early april and it comes back to life again, its also very easy to take cuttings from if you want to make more plants
@arkenard I think that S Hot Lips does seem more hardy. Years ago no one grew them as our winters were just too cold and wet. That is what we have experienced this winter so there will be some losses. All woody salvias loose vigour over time and as you say cuttings are easy and the way to increase and replace your stock.
I have worked as a Gardener for 24 years. My latest garden is a new build garden on heavy clay.
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They have become more popular with milder winters but this year there will be some losses.
I recall helping on an NGS plant stall where every other request was for a woody salvia, infact the next year the decision was for two plant stalls one just salvias. They are easy to propagate, cut back in July off they go again flowering into the autumn. I think there is a colour for everyone from the hot pinks to the soft creams, one of the most useful garden plants available today. With warmer drier summers they will continue to be popular.