Perovskia Species, Russian Sage

On Feb 21, 2017, laineygirl from Mountain Top, PA wrote:

I purchased my Russian Sage as the standard, tall plant years ago. It grew and bloomed fantastically for 12 years! However, I should have paid more attention to its growing requirements, specifically to avoid "winter wet." In the winter of 2015-2016, we had an extremely cold season when the temperatures dipped below -20 degrees F! Our specific location is on the side of a small mountain, and is subjected to biting, swirling winds without very much sunshine. So the conditions for my poor Russian Sage were not good: long-lasting layers of ice and snow covering the wet soil, and less than ideal drainage in the best of times. I loved this plant so much that I will try again in a better location. It looked so graceful amongst my other flowers. Its stems actually seemed to fill in some e... read morempty spaces beautifully!

On Apr 17, 2015, coriaceous from ROSLINDALE, MA wrote:

Tough, easy, and adaptable. Requires full sun. Blooms here in late summer into fall, never in spring.

Highly tolerant of salt and alkaline pH soil (as well as neutral and acid pH).

I have never seen this spread by suckering. It's always stayed in a neat clump here (Boston Z6a). On rare occasions, I've seen a seedling or two, but it's never done much self-sowing here.

My only quarrel with this plant is its disinclination to stand upright. Always needs staking in ordinary garden soils. I know it prefers lean soils kept on the dry side, and that may help it stand erect.

This is really a cutback shrub like a butterfly bush, not a perennial. It needs to be cut back to 6" or so in the spring. I wait till the buds have broken before spr... read moreing pruning, and I make sure I keep some of the new growth---sometimes it's reluctant to sprout near the base.

On Aug 25, 2011, marymary22 from Bothell, WA wrote:

I got a Russian Sage this spring from a online nursery, it died and I contacted the nursery I got it from and they sent me a new one. I wasn't sure how this one was going to take so I put it in a ceramic pot on my patio and let it grow. The garden I am going to put it in was not ready until now, I need to know if I can transplant it into that garden area this fall or if I need to winter it over in the pot and plant in the spring? I lost 8 lavender plants and 2 rosemarie plants last year due to a very cold winter, I don't want to lose this plant as I love it! Right now it is in full bloom on my patio, very beautiful!! Can I transplant it early fall? Here in the Northwest we usually have mild falls and winter doesn't start until December or January and this year our summer has been ver... read morey mild. I built a garden just for this plant, it can take it over along with my white rock crest ground cover. Please help, I would really like to get it in the ground this fall but if I should wait till spring I can try to winter it over in the pot on my patio. Doesn't like the greenhouse or I would put it in there, to humid and damp for it!

On Aug 24, 2010, Augustifolia from Frostburg, MD wrote:

My Perovskia has totally taken over the bed in which I planted it 18 years ago. I live in Zone 5 to 4 and get a lot of wind, snow, and really cold temperatures. Nothing seems to stop its progress. I have dug up one plant with much difficulty because the roots are very deep. A second plant close to the foundation is a little more controlled but is still suckering throughout the flower bed. The largest plant is impossible! I have cut the plant back within inches of the soil and it seems even happier and more invasive. It is planted in clay soil that receives only rain water and gets full sun the entire day. I discovered that the only way to remove the suckers is with a shovel and that I have to keep digging all the way back to the plant. I am tempted to totally remove the plant by u... read moresing RoundUp, but, at this point, am wavering because of the beautiful sage/gray leaves and amazing light purple/lavendar flowers. Good luck!!!

On Jul 1, 2010, themikeman from Concord, NC (Zone 7a) wrote:

beautiful, hardy, nice smelling plant..ive had mine only 2 years and they would have been 2 or 3 times the size they are this year if I hadnt cut them back early this spring thinking i was helping them by cutting brittle dead stalks off..i didnt realize the brittle dead appering old stalks rejuvanate and send out new shoots the whole length up the old ones..so for the love of god!! pleaze!! nobody cut these back in the late fall, winter, or early spring!! just leave them alone and they will thrive!! give them fertilizer but keep your fingers off them..LOL..mike.

On Oct 16, 2009, purplesun from Krapets,
Bulgaria (Zone 8a) wrote:

This is a fantastic plant. It produces small, intensely blue flowers that combine to produce an effect of a delicate, translucent sky-blue mass. Everyone keeps asking what it is, and bees can't seem to get enough of it.
It smells of camphor when bruised and sends root suckers that can be given away to eager friends. Truly a wonderful shrub. It loves dry heat and intense sunshine and doesn't mind alkaline soils.

On May 13, 2009, anelson77 from Seattle, WA wrote:

i love this plant in other people's gardens. I have about 6 of them, but am frustrated that none look all that great. They just haven't grown much. Some were planted in full sun, very poor sandy soil, 4 years ago. Others in part sun, good soil, 2 years ago. I've tried various amounts of water and neglect.

On Aug 28, 2008, Jodaen from McLean, VA wrote:

I have had this plant at the top of my herb garden for 8 years. It stands about 5' tall & 6' across and is in constant bloom from late spring through frost. It's the tallest plant in the garden but also has no problem with draping beautifully down the wall. The crown has gotten wider over the years but I have never had a problem with it invading into its neighbors' territory nor with shoots or seedlings in the yard. Mine is not very easy to propagate by softwood cuttings, maybe 4 in 20 take root each year, but each one is a treasure as all of my friends & family want a scion. New spring branchlets tend to propagate best.

On May 13, 2008, angele wrote:

I love this plant that is beginning its third year in my garden. Gave it a hard pruning in early spring and now on May 13 there are many flower buds forming. I can't believe how long and abundantly blooming this pretty plant is.

On Aug 24, 2007, queenofthegarde from Whittier, CA wrote:

This plant is lovely! I have had it at the foot of a pink-white bi-color crape myrtle and they look beautiful together. I have not found it to be invasive after 4 years. Perhaps conditions aren't ideal for its spreading. Unlike others, I have not noticed hummers near it. It grows and blooms with almost no water. Its soil is particularly sandy, an unusual soil type in my yard. I am going to try my hand at progating it!

On Feb 18, 2007, Bellisgirl from Spokane, WA wrote:

Ive had this plant for over five years now and really love it. I have mine in the back of the border and it makes a wonderful backdrop for my other plants. Pretty lavender colored flowers. Very drought tolerant and hardy. Mine is in partial sun, and is about 3-and a half feet tall and wide. It would probably get even larger if it were in full sun. Have had several volunteers come up from it. Would definitely recommend this plant!

On Dec 10, 2005, bigcityal from Appleton, WI (Zone 5a) wrote:

Nice subtle color. Fragrant. Bees love it. Nice winter interest.

On Sep 21, 2004, Lavenderlady from Buhl, ID wrote:

We have a lavender farm here in Idaho. Zone 5-6. I wanted something that would prolong the purple color in my fields and around a canal. Well, I sure got it. I love this plant. I cannot wait for it to naturalize itself throughout the area. I have had lots of people comment on it as we also put a row (hedge like) up into the lavender field. It was flanked with a row of teddy bear sunflowers. BEAUTIFUL color. I had a lady use the teddy bear sunflowers and Russian Sage in buckets for a wedding.

I will prune to 6 inches in spring as recommended and will either try to take seeds to scatter or cuttings to sell as many of my customers want this along with snow in the summer that I planted and of course the teddy bear sunflower seeds.

I am still unsure of the propaga... read moretion methods but will give it a try. I do propagate my own lavender so this cannot be too far of a stretch. I will even try to dry some sage and add it to the dried lavender to create "smudge sticks" to burn. This should be intresting. Thanks Peggy

On Aug 4, 2004, saya from Heerlen,
Netherlands (Zone 8b) wrote:

I've collected seeds in 2003. Just put your hand around a dried flowerstalk and rip the seeds of. They look a little wooly and at first sight you think they cannot be seeds. But they are ! They were easy to sow. I've followed the instructions from Tom Clothier's site: " Sow at 20ºC (68ºF), if no germ. in 3-4 wks, move to -4 to +4ºC (24-39ºF) for 2-4 wks ". I've planted the seedlings already out in the garden where they grow quick.

I love its scent and silvery/blue transparent look when they are mature.

On May 8, 2004, bayouposte from Bossier City, LA (Zone 8a) wrote:

Pleasing appearance and scent endears Russian Sage to me, but ability to take heat and drought makes it easy. Have shared many little sages that have come from stem cuttings and have also moved some to other areas where its attractive silvery foliage draws the eye.

On Apr 14, 2004, sue1952 from Utica, MI wrote:

In SE Michigan - This plant is great for sunny spots and very drought tolerant. Be sure to prune down to 6" in very early spring. I especially like to break off the branches in the dead of winter and take in the smell of sage from summer.

On Aug 8, 2003, Ladyfern from Jeffersonville, IN (Zone 6a) wrote:

The flowers taste sweet and can be used in salads. It is short-lived in havy, rich, moist soils.

On Aug 8, 2001, killerdaisy from Dallas, TX (Zone 8a) wrote:

Creates a sagelike scent when leaves are crushed. Tends to lean towards sun. Take cuttings in summer; no division necessary.