Russian sage

About Russian sage

Russian sage is a woody-based, shrubby perennial (a subshrub) from Central Asia, not Russia, with silvery, scented leaves and airy lavender-blue spires from midsummer into fall. It shrugs off heat, drought and deer, and bees work the flowers constantly. It was the 1995 Perennial Plant of the Year and now belongs in the genus Salvia.

Wisconsin lists zones 4-9 and NC State 5-9; in Chicago stems die back to a few inches each winter, but plants in well-drained soil survived -23 F.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

Plant potted Russian sage in early spring, or through summer until about a month before a hard freeze, and water regularly the first season (Wisconsin). Cultivars are started from 3-4 inch softwood cuttings in summer; seed takes 1-4 months to sprout at 60-65 F (a short cold spell first helps), and seedlings vary a lot. Space about 18 inches apart (Wisconsin); NC State allows 3 feet or more.

Soil

Well-drained sandy or loamy soil of any pH; wet soil, especially in winter, rots the roots (Wisconsin; NC State; Chicago Botanic Garden).

Choose a sunny spot with well-drained, even gravelly soil; good drainage and air in the soil help it survive wet winters (Wisconsin).

Feeding

• early spring, before new growth begins: balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10, applied lightly. Wisconsin Extension advises feeding before new growth starts in spring. Use a light hand; MSU advises no more than 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft for perennials. Water it in, and follow a soil test.

Wet soil rots the roots (Wisconsin), and extra fertilizer and shade make the stems flop (Chicago Botanic Garden; MSU).

Harvest

Blooms from July into October, with color lasting because the fuzzy purple calyces stay after the flowers drop. No deadheading needed. Leave stems up over winter, then cut them back to 6-12 inches in spring before new growth starts (Wisconsin; Chicago Botanic Garden).

Varieties (17)

Good neighbors

Black-eyed Susan, Coreopsis (tickseed)

Wisconsin Extension suggests Russian sage with ornamental grasses, white phlox, black-eyed Susan and coreopsis; these are design pairings, not pest-control companions.

Diseases and problems

Leaf spot, Stem canker, Root rot, Southern blight

In the kitchen

Safety: The sources we checked list no toxic parts and no research-based guidance on pregnancy, drug interactions or allergies. It is an ornamental, not a cooking sage.

Pets: The ASPCA calls Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) non-toxic to pets (ASPCA fall plants article, 2022).