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Herbaceous PerennialShrubs

Salvia Amethyst Lips ('Dyspurp')
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

sage 'Amethyst Lips'

A subshrub up to 1m high with evergreen, aromatic, ovate, mid-green leaves, and whorled spikes of flowers which are white nearer the base and with varying amounts of purple nearer the tips, or occasionally all purple or all white, from early summer to autumn; the leaves may be used as a culinary herb

Synonyms
Salvia 'Dyspurp'
Salvia greggii 'Amethyst Lips'
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Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Purple White Green
Autumn Purple White Green
Winter Green
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Drought resistance
Yes
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Lamiaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus

Salvia can be annuals, biennials, herbaceous or evergreen perennials, or shrubs. They have paired, simple or pinnately lobed, often aromatic leaves and 2-lipped flowers in whorls, forming simple or branched spikes or racemes

Name status

Trade

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in light, moderately fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil, in full sun, with shelter from cold drying winds

Propagation

Propagate by basal or softwood cuttings in spring or early summer, or by semi-ripe cuttings in late summer or autumn with bottom heat

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Gravel garden
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Low Maintenance
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

Pruning group 9 in spring; cut back spent flower spikes to prolong flowering

Pests

Generally pest-free but may be susceptible to slugs and snails, capsid bug, leafhoppers, and rosemary beetle

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), powdery mildews, verticillium wilt and foot and root rots

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