Shrubby Salvia Lips Collection

 The collection consists of:

- x 1 Salvia greggii 'Amethyst Lips': highly noticed at Plantarium in 2018, this bush measuring 70cm (28in) in all directions bears white flowers, then white and violet, ending in a deep and solid violet at the end of the season.

- x 1 Salvia microphylla 'Pink Lips':  tall and wide at 80cm (32in), this shrubby sage produces white flowers in spring, then white and pink, and finally a pure pink without any trace of white in September-October.

 Labeled separately.

Salvia microphylla and S.greggi, which are the origin of the varieties in the 'Lips' series, are shrubby species native to the mountains of eastern, western, and southern Mexico, as well as southern Arizona. They are plants that require well-drained soil and tolerate the presence of rocks and limestone in the soil. They have a hardiness of about -10°C (14°F) in almost dry soil in winter.

A woody and well-branched perennial plant, the shrubby sage has a bushy habit often slightly wider than it is tall. The nectar-rich flowering is particularly generous and occurs 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 measure barely more than 2cm (1in) in length, last only one day, covering the ground with their petals in the evening but will already be replaced the next morning. The foliage is semi-evergreen in winter depending on the temperature. It consists of small oval leaves, 2 to 4cm (1 to 2in) long, with rounded teeth, dark green, thick, and aromatic, slightly sticky, releasing a strong acidic-smelling essential oil with heat.

These Amethyst Lips and Pink Lips sages, which are noticeable from afar, bring life to any flower bed, as well as the terrace, for almost 6 months. The vivacity of their flowering will be enhanced by the silver foliage of shrubby wormwoods, and their combination with autumn asters is fabulous: choose those that require little, such as Aster laevis, Aster turbinellus, or Aster amellus, for example. Gauras, tall sedums (Sedum 'Matrona'), and shrubby potentillas will also compose a charming scene with them.