'Hot Lips' goes through a rotation - I've heard it described as "genetically unstable". Mine have started out red, too.... Have patience! it's just doing it's thing. I don't know if it's been determined what causes this.. it seems to be a cycle unrelated to heat or time of year (mine started out all white 2 years ago...) perhaps it's something to do with the time of the last big cut-back?

Over here in England, it has a mind of its own!!! Nobody has been able to explain this. But...when it seems to be pure white, in summer, it is the best white Salvia, really pure white.

I ordered last fall from Santa Rosa Gardens. Will be getting my
plants in May. One of them is Salvia 'hot lips'. I guess I won't
be surprised when they bloom all red. Will see.

I think this color-change issue is what makes this plant most interesting. It seems to be white when cool, two-toned when warm and solid red when very hot. Having said this, I've had all three variations of color show up on the same plant at the same time! Enjoy whatever she gives you.

Thank you all so much. Mine is doing its "red" thing during these cooler nighttime temps we've had lately.

Robin, I've seen your comment about the beauty of the white flowers on other posts, too, so am anxiously awaiting my first "white" blooms.

I just got 'Cherry Queen' yesterday and it is blooming, too, and looks eerily similar to 'Hot Lips' - same parentage?

Seeds are up of 'Lady in Red', 'Forest Fire', darcyi, and subrotunda. Hopefully, it's going to be a royal red summer!

Susan

Cherry Queen is not at all similar to Hot Lips. The first tends to spread, and has typical greggii leaves with smooth edges, and Hot Lips is very erect, with small microphylla leaves that have teeth along the edge.

I was referring to the blooms. While there is a slight color variation between the two, they are both small and red right now.

Susan

My Hot Lips plant currently has some all red flowers, all white, bicolor, and some weird stages in between. It is now an enormous bush... so I guess it's time to hack it back and propagate cuttings. My 5 year old has this idea that he is going to have a plant stand/ sale, instead of the classic lemonade stand. :-)

Voodoobrew, this is the strangest Salvia. I am now getting the same kind of blooms you mention....a mix of all white, white with just a tiny spot of red on the lip, red, bicolor, what next? Maybe it will have stripes. It certainly is not consistent, is it?

I am wondering if it is a seedling variation? I know it is supposed to sport some solid red and solid white when the weather heats up, but while this is interesting to say the least, it is certainly not what I expected.

Susan

As I have mentioned at several other occasions, teasing out the mechanism behind the mystery of this variation in color might make an interesting dissertation for some graduate student.

Voodoobrew, Your child sounds like a really cool kid and he is definitely on to something. I think there are more plant addicts than lemonade addicts. I will pay more for a plant than a glass of lemonade and I always buy more than one plant. Those hotlips propogate so easily also.

Mine have always varied a lot in color as well even on one stem. I lost my Hot Lips this last fall due to a sudden weather change. I haven't been able to find it at local nurseries, etc. Does anyone have any rooted cuttings that might survive shipping to the Tacoma, WA area? I loved this plant and have it in a location where my dogs brush up against it when they walk by my patio. Aroma therapy every time they come in from the back yard!

Apparently it reacts to moisture in the soil. When it is wet the flowers turn red. When dry they turn white. Interesting!

I always thought it was the heat and cold that made the flowers change.