How to prune salvia 'hot lips'

Deadhead after each bloom flush; hard prune in late winter/early spring. Cut spent flower spikes back to the nearest healthy side shoot or leaf node. In late winter, use loppers or shears to cut the whole plant back by one-half to two-thirds, leaving some healthy stems.

Deadhead after each flush (3–4 times per season); annual hard prune in late winter. Salvia 'Hot Lips' is a shrubby perennial salvia that blooms in flushes. Deadheading spent flower spikes after each flush encourages repeat blooming through summer and autumn. In late winter or early spring, cut the whole shrub back by one-half to two-thirds to remove woody old growth and stimulate vigorous new flowering shoots.

Cut spent flower spikes back to the nearest healthy side shoot or leaf node. In late winter, use loppers or shears to cut the whole plant back by one-half to two-thirds, leaving some healthy stems.