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Pruning Salvia 'Hot Lips'

Lancashire LassLancashire Lass Posts: 367
in Plants

I have two salvias, one is Blue Skies and that has produced new growth from the ground so I have cut the old wood right down.

My second salvia is Hot Lips and I was waiting for similar signs of new growth from the ground, but on inspecting it today I have noticed new growth on the old wood. I have cut the Hot Lips back to the lowest pair of new leaves.

Is that what others have experienced or have I misread the situation? Does Hot Lips new growth grow on old wood normally?

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  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,441

    I don't know Blue Skies but Sky Blues is a S. nemorosa cultivar, a herbaceous perennial that dies back to the ground in winter.

    Hot lips is a shrub, S. microphylla,   and can be pruned as you have done



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • Lancashire LassLancashire Lass Posts: 367

    That answers my question thank you, and of course it is Sky Blues that I have. They are both similar sizes and I assumed therefore the same cultivar.

  • BLACKBIRD3BLACKBIRD3 Posts: 1

    Question. When is the Best Time to Prune back SALVIA HOT LIPS.

  • mattertonmatterton Posts: 1
    cutting back salvias in winter
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,339
    BLACKBIRD3 said:

    Question. When is the Best Time to Prune back SALVIA HOT LIPS.

    Hot Lips is one of the shrubby salvias.
    They don't NEED pruning, but I trim mine back a bit to keep it neat and tidy so there are no long bare stems.

    Some info here may help which gives pruning guidelines for all 3 types of salvias
    https://www.jackwallington.com/how-to-prune-salvias-three-pruning-groups/

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • Lancashire LassLancashire Lass Posts: 367
    Thanks for your replies, it's been some years since I first asked about Salvias!
    I have found that Hot lips sometimes gets through our Winters and sometimes not, so I take cuttings every Autumn, keep them in our porch and plant them out every spring. They strike very easily and I have had a succession of Hot Lips every year since I first posted back in 2014.
    I have given up on Sky Blue but may give them another try and again take cuttings.
    I can't seem to keep the slugs off Amistead!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,109
    Someone has posted a rather odd remark which has raised the thread @Lancashire Lass.  ;)
    Glad your salvias are doing well. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • FireFire Posts: 19,081
    edited November 2020
    I would say to hold off pruning until spring. I have too have lost some shrubby salvias to a cold winter. Pruning back to the old wood can make the shrub mucher strong and less lanky.





  • Lancashire LassLancashire Lass Posts: 367
    You have some Hot Lips to be proud of there, I'll certainly take your advice thanks.
  • Joyce GoldenlilyJoyce Goldenlily Posts: 2,933
    I give my Hotlips a light cut back in the autumn to help reduce wind rock and as protection from frost, then cut it back to new growth in the Spring. 
    My plant seems to fluctuate between producing flowers with scarlet lips and plain white flowers within a growing season. I am not sure if this is a natural trait, weather conditions or nourishment variations. 
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