no growth yet on my Hot Lips and May Nights

13 years ago

I live in Va close to Washington DC, I think we are zone 7b or a, my question is my Saliva Hot Lips and May Night are showing no signs of growth yet and it's late April, I didn't cut back either so the Hot Lips are all big dead wood looking bushes, and I wonder if they died over the winter. I broke the dead wood off of the May Nights by mistake because I thought it was something else while doing clean up this spring, so now I can't even find where they were planted. Do these grow back on the old wood or send up new grow from the ground? I know my Russian sage has new growth on the old wood, thanks for any help with this.

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Comments (9)

DYH
13 years ago
My May Night are just now in full bloom, full sun, all day long (from sunrise to sunset). I'm in 7b in North Carolina, but 5 hours south by car, so maybe yours will bloom a week later? Early in the season, the foliage on May Night can look like flat leaves against the soil. Then, they perk up and spike blooms very quickly (in my experience).
I don't have the salvia Hot Lips.
desertsage
13 years ago
My Hot Lips has nice foliage, but flowers are only red. Flowers should correct with a little more heat. We had a wild down to 0 winter.
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roper2008
13 years ago
All my salvia's are growing nicely except my hot lips. My sister's
has not come up either. I don't think it will.
wardda
13 years ago
A small group of unprotected Hot Lips here in Zone 7a just started sprouting near the base in the past week with one still to go I hope. Five of the original seven returned in the garden last year, their 4th year. They are grown in perfectly drained sand. They have always been among the latest microphylla to sprout so wait awhile. Ten miles to the east and half a zone colder they only survived in the mildest winters.
rich_dufresne
13 years ago
The Eurasian meadow sages grow from basal rosettes, and the stems are dead soon after seed has set, ripened, and dispersed.

Don't cut back wood on reglas, greggiis, and microphyllas. New growth should come from near the base and at the ends. You can rub or lightly scrape off the bark on a piece of wood and look for a green xylem, the layer that carries moisture and nutrients. The wood should be supple, not dry and brittle.
soini64
10 years ago
I bought 5 hot lips around this time last year .Prior to that 2.
.I just love these flowers.It has made me just heart sick that
they look like dead sticks .When scratched there is a tint of green yet
so spindly .The base is very well rooted and sturdy
.Should I pull them up and start again? .Really could use some info on prepping
for the winter .I should buy stock in these beautys .I purchase about 3 every
summer.
rich_dufresne
10 years ago
I left my old Hot Lips in their 14" pots outside all winter, and watered them little. Up to about 2 weeks ago, they looked totally dead.

But now, I see a few new stems coming out. When I get back from the Green Spring Festival in Alexandria, I am going to try to rescue the viable parts from the crown and replant them.
soini64
9 years ago
is there a prepping procedure for microphylla for the winter.
I do love these flowers .I live in WA state zone8.Any info would be greatly appreciated
wardda
9 years ago
Not really, just don't cut them back until new growth starts in spring.

no growth yet on my Hot Lips and May Nights

Comments (9)

DYH

desertsage

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