Plant Min Zone: 4a
Plant Max Zone: 8b
Sunlight: All Day Full Sun, Full Sun
Water / Rainfall: Low, Average
Soil Quality: Poor, Average
Bloom Season: Summer, Late Summer, Fall
Flower Color: Lavender
Berry / Fruit Color: White
Spring Foliage Color: Mint Green, Silver-Grey
Summer Foliage Color: Mint Green, Silver-Grey
Fall Foliage Color: Mint Green, Silver-Grey
Evergreen Foliage: No
Winter Interest: Yes
Scented Flowers: Yes
Drought Tolerance: High
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: Low, Medium
Wind Tolerance: High
Poor Soil Tolerance: Rocky Soils, Sandy Soils, Shallow Soils, Clay Soils, Alkaline Soils (high PH)
Height: 2.5' - 4'
Width: 2' - 3'
Growth Rate: Medium, Fast
Service Life: Very Long: 10-20 years
Maintenance Need: Almost Zero Maintenance
Spreading Potential: Low
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to 6-12" off Ground in Early Spring before New Growth: Has Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Small Grouping of 3-5, Medium Grouping of 5-10, Mass Planting of 10 or more
Best Side of House: South Exposure, West Exposure, East Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Survives Under Roof Overhang, Survives Severe Drought, Top of Retaining Wall Locations, Resistant to Rabbits
Ornamental Features: Multiple Seasons of Interest, Long Blooming Season, Fine Texture, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: None
Possible Pest Problems: Root Rot Disease
Plant Limitations: Needs Excellent Drainage, Unpleasant Smelling Flowers / Foliage
Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is a perfectly well-adapted plant from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia. It is the perfect match to hot Kansas summers, cold winters, rocky alkaline soils, and drought. Fine-textured foliage is upright and shrub-like consisting of a mint green to blush green color. Lavender to bluish flowers emerging in mid-summer are extremely long-lasting. In fall, Russian sage foliage dies back with the first hard freeze and becomes a whitish-gray color adding awesome winter interest. Imagine this combined with ornamental grasses or bright winter-colored plants like Color Guard Yucca. The only maintenance is cutting the plant back to you about 6 to 8 inches in the spring. New buds emerge from the root system and lower parts of the woody growth. New cultivars of Russian sage do not spread by rhizomes like the species. Russian sage thrives in dry well-drained soils with plenty of full sun and air circulation. They are suitable for hot west or south exposures, berms, parking lot islands, hell strips along roads, and other inhospitable locations. They tolerate poor soil including rock, sand, clay, and alkalinity. They do not tolerate poor drainage and will be floppy even in part shade. Russian sage flowers are highly attractive to honeybees. There are several improved cultivars with improved blooming, improved growth habit, and elimination of spreading. Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Filigran' is an improved upright cultivar with fine-textured foliage and no underground spreading.