Russian sage: location, pruning & winter hardiness

With deep blue lip flowers, Russian sage provides excellent decoration in Mediterranean gardens or rock gardens. In the following article we will show you the features of this plant.

Russian sage (Salvia yangii) has been a member of the sage genus only since 2017. It is known for its silver-blue flowers. Its hardiness to drought and heat makes it a suitable plant for the increasingly warm climate.

Tip: Not everyone has yet got used to the new naming of Russian sage. In the trade, the name Perovskia atriplicifolia therefore remains common.

Russian sage: flowering time, origin and characteristics

The upright and loosely growing half-shrub is native to the steppes and hills of Southwest and Central Asia. Russian sage thrives in a wide range of climates and soil conditions and has become very popular and widely grown. Russian sage has its flowering period from June to September – its insect-friendly lip flowers are reminiscent of lavender and decorate the plant in blue-purple colours. But the scent of Russian sage also attracts many insects. Due to its perennial and winter hardiness, this steppe plant is robust and can reach a growth height of up to 120 cm, depending on the variety. The hybrids of S. abrotanoides and S. atriplicifolia are primarily used in the trade.

The most beautiful species and varieties

Many beautiful cultivars have been bred from the species S. atriplicifolia, S. yangii, and S. abrotanoides, all of which do not differ in their site requirements.

• ‘Blue Sprite’: This variety has lavender-blue, dark flowers. The leaves are deeply lobed and the flowerheads are long. This Russian sage reaches a height of growth of about 120 cm and has its flowering period from July to October.

• ‘Lacey Blue’: Quite elegant shows this variety with silver-grey foliage stem. Its flowers take on a blue-purple colour and bloom from July to September. This variant reaches a compact height of approximately 80 cm.

• ‘Little Spire’: Silvery foliage and violet-blue flowers adorn Russian sage ‘Little Spire’. From August to October this variety blooms and it reaches a height of growth of about 90 cm.

Planting Russian sage

When planting Russian sage, it is important to choose the right location and time of planting. Below we give you a few tips for doing so.

The right location for Russian sage

The best place for Russian sage is a sheltered, warm, full sun and moderately dry, such as in the rock garden with the habitat open space with steppe heath character. The dry and slightly acidic to alkaline soil should be very well drained, because Russian sage does not tolerate waterlogging. Our Plantura Organic Herb & Seedling Compost is perfect for this steppe plant due to its low pH. Russian sage can also be grown in containers, but then it needs more structural material and some lime or alkaline rock. Here, too, care should be taken to keep the soil dry and only water the plant moderately in dry conditions.

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Tip: It is especially important to choose a soil low in nutrients. Because if the nutrient supply is too high, Russian sage grows strongly, blooms less and falls apart. This is because the shoots lie down more than they stand up straight.

Is the Russian sage eaten by snails? As a rule, the Russian sage is spared from snails.

Procedure for planting

It is best to plant Russian sage in the spring. It is possible to plant Russian sage either as a solitary plant, but also in groups with a planting distance of about 1 metre. When planting, dig a hole twice the size of the root ball. This should be done especially if you need to improve the surrounding soil and install a drainage layer of stone against waterlogging. Then put the Russian sage in the stony, permeable soil. It is important to water generously afterwards.

Combining Russian sage

In combination with lavender (Lavandula), sage (Salvia), catmint (Nepeta), ornamental grasses, cotton lavender (Santolina), and other drought-loving plants, Russian sage looks its best. Roses (Rosa) are also suitable as planting partners.

Care: pruning, watering and fertilising Russian sage

When caring for the Russian sage, do not forget to prune it back in spring to about a hand’s width above the ground, allowing the shrub to sprout fully again and unfold its flowering splendour. Watering for Russian sage should be regularly only during long periods of drought in the summer. Otherwise, it tolerates drought well and is very robust in itself. You do not need to fertilise Russian sage, because it prefers nutrient-poor soil.

Tip: The bare shoots look unattractive in winter. So it is no harm to cut them off 10 to 15 cm above the ground as soon as in late autumn. Ideally do not shorten near the ground, otherwise the susceptibility to frost will be even greater.

Is Russian sage hardy?

Russian sage often freezes back to the ground in cold winter locations. However, if it is not exposed to waterlogging, it usually just sprouts again in the spring. Russian sage can withstand cold from -17 to -23 °C. Even as a pot culture, Russian sage survives the winter very well and in rather mild locations in a wind-protected place, they even overwinter completely without protection.

Propagating Russian sage

The easiest way to propagate Russian sage is via cuttings from vigorous, herbaceous shoots in summer. Russian sage cuttings should have two buds and the beginnings of leaves, carefully remove the remaining leaves. Above the cut the rind is removed with a sharp knife. Then you put the cutting into the ground. The pot is placed in a bright location without direct sunlight. Ideally, you also cover the plant pot with cling film to create high humidity. To prevent mould growth, the film should be removed once a day for ventilation.

Is Russian sage poisonous?

The wonderfully fragrant Russian sage is not poisonous to cats and dogs, nor to humans. This applies to all species and varieties of the silver bush. The essential oils of the plant are even used as a mild stimulant or herbal tobacco.

The beautiful silver shrub is a low-maintenance and robust semi-shrub that attracts many insects. A good and healthy neighbour for Russian sage is Greek mountain tea (Sideritis scardica).