Admired for its silvery gray, fragrant foliage as much as its lavender-purple flowers, Russian sage (Salvia yangii, formerly Perovskia atriplicifolia) makes a bold statement in the garden. The abundant, spiky clusters of flowers bloom from late spring until autumn, almost completely obscuring the feathery, sage-scented leaves. It prefers arid conditions, making it an ideal plant for xeriscaping.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
Salvia yangii, previously known as Perovskia atriplicifolia (), and commonly called Russian sage, is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant and subshrub. Although not previously a member of Salvia, the genus widely known as sage, since 2017 it has been included within them.
It is native to the steppes and hills of southwestern and central Asia. Successful over a wide range of climate and soil conditions, it has since become popular and widely planted. Several cultivars have been developed, differing primarily in leaf shape and overall height; ‘Blue Spire’ is the most common. This variation has been widely used in gardens and landscaping. S. yangii was the Perennial Plant Association’s 1995 Plant of the Year, and the ‘Blue Spire’ cultivar received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Salvia yangii is a deciduous perennial subshrub with an erect to spreading habit. Superficially, it resembles a much larger version of lavender. Multiple branches arise from a shared rootstalk, growing to a height of 0.5–1.2 metres (1+1⁄2–4 feet), with occasional specimens reaching 1.5 m (5 ft). The mature plant may be 0.6–1.2 m (2–4 ft) across. The rigid stems are square in cross-section, and are covered by an indumentum formed by stellate, or star-shaped, trichomes and oil droplets. Especially during autumn, these hairs give the stems a silvery appearance.
The grayish-green leaves are arranged in opposite pairs, and attached to the stems by a short petiole. They are generally 3–5 centimetres (1+1⁄4–2 inches) long and 0.8–2 cm (1⁄4–3⁄4 in) wide, although narrower in some populations. The overall leaf shape is oblate, a rounded shape longer than it is wide, to lanceolate, shaped like the head of a lance.
They are pinnatipartite, with a deeply incised leaf margin that may be either wavy or sharp-toothed; even within a single community of S. yangii, there can be considerable variation in the details of leaf shape. Leaves near the top of branches may merge into bracts. The foliage is aromatic, especially when crushed, with a fragrance described as sage-like, a blend of sage and lavender, or like turpentine.
The flowering season of S. yangii can be as long as June through October, although populations in some parts of its range, such as China, may bloom in a much more restricted period. The inflorescence is a showy panicle, 30–38 cm long (12–15 in), with many branches. Each of these branches is a raceme, with the individual flowers arranged in pairs called verticillasters. Each flower’s calyx is purple, densely covered in white or purple hairs, and about 4 millimetres (1⁄8 in) long.
The corolla is tube-shaped, formed from a four-lobed upper lip and a slightly shorter lower lip; the blue or violet blue petals are about 1 cm long. The style has been reported in both an exserted—extending beyond the flower’s tube—form and one contained within the flower; all known examples of S. yangii in cultivation have exserted styles. Gardening author Neil Soderstrom describes the appearance of the flowers from a distance as “like a fine haze or fog”.
The fruits develop about a month after flowering, and consist of dark brown oval nutlets, about 2 mm × 1 mm (2⁄25 in × 1⁄25 in).
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
Plant in an area that receives full sun. Partial shade will cause stems to be leggy, and they may flop over, requiring support or a move to a more sunny location. It is intolerant of full shade.
Temperature and Humidity
Indigenous to central Asia, is reliably hardy in planting zones 5 through 9 and it often survives in zones 3 and 4 if you provide some minimal protection during winter. Warmer regions will see this plant behave as a semi-woody shrub, while gardeners in zones 3 and 4 will treat it as a perennial that dies back to near ground level each winter.
Watering
During the first year of growth, follow a watering schedule, but allow your plant to dry out in between sessions. Once it’s well-established, it does not require much watering. Remember, it will not perform well and could die if overwatered.
Soil
Well-draining soil is necessary; the soil pH level should be between 5.8 and 6.5. It will suffer drastically, underperform, or die in soggy, wet soil.
Plan a thoughtful place for this drought-resistant shrub in your garden before transplanting, and make adjustments as needed. Add compost each season to help with drainage. Sandy, loamy soil is preferred.
It also performs well in a rock garden with other drought-resistant cultivars. It tolerates poor-quality soil that’s slightly alkaline (above 7.3) and does just fine in rocky areas and sloped areas.
Fertilizing
Fertilizing should be done in the spring before new growth takes off, but not much is required. A light application of fish emulsion or side or top dressing with good-quality aged compost should suffice.
Pruning
Pruning Russian sage can help you manage the size and encourage bushier growth, but winter pruning is optional. While allowing the stems and seed pods to remain in the garden until spring creates winter interest, if you prefer a tidier appearance, you can cut the stems back to 8 to 12 inches (20 – 30 cm) above the ground.
Spring and summer care for Russian sage consists mainly of pruning. When new spring growth emerges, cut the old stems back to just above the lowest set of leaves. If the plant begins to spread open or sprawl in late spring or summer, shear off the top one-third of the stems to encourage upright growth. Remove the top half of the stems if the plant stops blooming in summer; it will promote new growth and a fresh flush of flowers.
Propagation
You can propagate by seed or by taking softwood or hardwood cuttings. Due to its woody stems and need for support, division is not recommended.
Growing from Seed
Seeds can be sown at any time of year and just barely covered with seed-starting mix. They germinate best at temperatures between 60-65° and can take up to four months to sprout. Cold stratification of 35-44° for at least ten days may increase the rate and speed of germination and may result in a more compact plant.
Step the seedlings up into a larger container as needed, disturbing the roots as little as possible. Transplant them in late spring after proper hardening off to avoid transplant shock and reduce stress.
Softwood Cuttings
Softwood cuttings are taken in peak summer when growth is still fairly new and pliable, hence the name.
How to take softwood cuttings:
- Locate several healthy-looking stems.
- Using sharp, clean shears or pruners, cut 4-6 inches from the tips of the stem.
- Allow several leaves to remain up top, but remove the lower ones.
- Optionally, dip the cut end in root-stimulating hormone powder or gel to help with new root development, although it’s generally unnecessary.
- Add each cutting to a clean pot filled with well-draining potting soil, leaving just ⅓ of the cutting out of the soil.
- Tamp down the soil around the stem and water well.
- As with any new transplant, keep it moist but not soggy. Don’t let the soil dry out.
- New roots and growth should appear within a few weeks or months. Disturb it as little as possible during this stage and keep the environment humid. High humidity levels are preferred over misting or watering.
As your cuttings outgrow their container, step them up with fresh soil and a larger container, or simply transplant them outside in the spring when the risk of frost has passed.
Hardwood Cuttings
Hardwood cuttings are taken in the fall or winter when your sage plant is dormant. The cuttings are considered hardwood because they become woody after the growing season. The process is very similar to taking softwood cuttings, except they overwinter in a protected area while they form new roots. Keep them watered but not soggy. A cold frame or an unheated greenhouse is a fine area to keep them through the winter.
When the ground has thawed and temperatures are safe for transplant, you can find a permanent place for your new plant in your garden. Just be sure the root system is strong and healthy.
Both softwood and hardwood rooted cuttings would make a meaningful and useful gift for a friend or fellow gardener.
Division
While division is not recommended, tiny shoots sometimes pop up near the base of the plant. You can gently remove these and encourage new root growth by dipping them in root-stimulating hormone powder or gel and potting them up.
Potting and Repotting Russian Sage
Though container culture is not the typical use, Russian sage will grow well in any well-draining container filled with a porous potting mix, such as a cactus/succulent mix. Avoid very rich potting mixes, as these are not ideal for this plant. A potted Russian sage offers a good way to enjoy this long-blooming plant in sunny paved courtyards or patios. It can look very nice in ornamental clay or ceramic pots, and in warm-winter regions, it will offer ornamental appeal year-round.
Perennial plants such as Russian sage always offer some challenges for gardeners in cold-winter regions, as the exposed roots can be more prone to winter kill. Therefore, it’s best to move potted Russian sage plants to a sheltered location after cutting them back for the winter. One option is to bury the entire pot up to its rim for the winter. Or, you can move the plant to a cold frame or unheated porch or garage until spring.
Repotting should be done whenever the plant is ready for division. Potted plants will require this every couple of years.
Overwintering
In warmer regions, no winter preparation is needed at all, other than hard pruning if you want to rejuvenate the plant. In cold-winter regions (zones 3 and 4), cover the plant crowns with a thick layer of mulch for the winter to protect the roots from freeze-thaw cycles. Remove the mulch promptly when new growth begins in the spring, as it’s important not to trap moisture around the roots.
In extremely cold winters, it’s not uncommon for Russian sage to perish, even if protected with mulch. Gardeners in zones 3 and 4 should not be surprised if a Russian sage fails to return after an especially harsh winter.
Pests and Diseases
Common Pests
There are no real serious pests, but as always, you may spot a few unwelcome guests. Critters like rabbits and deer tend to leave it alone.
- Aphids: Don’t let them leave their sticky honeydew behind. Introducing and keeping around natural predators of aphids is the best way to control these vicious feeders. Ladybugs and lacewings are attracted to plants like dill, oregano, and sweet alyssum, so planting some nearby may help.
- Leafhoppers: Leafhoppers feed on the sap of plants, leaving them stunted and can cause yellowing. Birds feed on leafhoppers, but if they’re not doing the trick, try spraying your plants with insecticidal soap. After being ingested, the soap causes dehydration and death of pests after causing their protective layering to dissolve. Cover the leaves thoroughly and apply in the morning or evening when the sun is not hot.
- Spider mites: These sap suckers will cause your plant to turn yellow or brown. Since they can take over quickly and cause lots of damage, be on the lookout for them in late spring to early summer. Keeping your garden and beneath plants clear of debris will help keep the pressure down.
- Whiteflies: Whiteflies can transmit disease and also suck nutrients from plants. They commonly infest greenhouses where there are lots of plants to attack together. They can be controlled similarly to aphids with strong water streams and, as a last resort, insecticidal soap.
Common Diseases
The healthier the plant, the more resistant it will be to disease. This shrub is not typically affected by disease, but below are a few possibilities.
- Root or stem rot is the biggest threat and occurs when the soil is water-logged. This could be from poor soil quality, overwatering, or heavy rainfall.
- Cylindrosporium leaf spot comes from a soil-borne fungus. Fungicides are not always effective, so this disease is hard to manage once it’s present. Symptoms are small to eventually large brown spots, sometimes surrounded by a yellow halo.
- Phoma stem canker symptoms include black lesions along the petioles of leaves that travel to the stem. This fungal disease is more prevalent during extremely wet periods, and no fungicides are known to treat it. Prevent it by keeping pest pressure low and ensuring well-draining soil.
- Sclerotinia stem blight will cause wilting and gray lesions on stems and leaves. Check near the base of the plant for white mycelium present on the stem. Timely fungicide treatments should help control it. Plant survival rate depends on the severity of the case.
Mulching
While mulching is unnecessary throughout the growing season, if you grow in northern growing zones, you may want to add mulch after cutting your plant back before winter to protect it against harsh temperatures.
How to Get to Bloom
In the right conditions, the small blue or purple flowers of Russian sage will provide airy color for the entire summer, right up until frost. Failure to bloom is usually traced to a lack of sunlight, as these plants grow leggy with sparse blooms if they don’t get a full six hours or more of direct sunlight daily.
Excessive fertilizing also compromises flower production, as nitrogen causes the plants to develop leggy growth at the expense of flowering. If your plants aren’t blooming the way you want, try withholding all feeding, even the light topdressing with compost that is normally advised.
Young plants may take a full year or two before they are fully established and begin to bloom robustly. Don’t worry about a lack of flowers until the plant is fully two years old.
III. Uses and Benefits
- Ornamental uses
Russian sage has been praised for its usefulness in gardens and landscaping features. It is most commonly planted as an accent feature, such as an “island” in an expanse of lawn, but it can also be used as filler within a larger landscaping feature, or to enhance areas where the existing natural appearance is retained. Gardening author Troy Marden describes S. yangii as having a “see-through” quality that is ideal for borders. Some experts suggest groups of three plants provide the best landscape appearance. It is also suitable for container gardening. It does have an undesirable tendency to spread via rhizomes beyond it original planting.
It attracts bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, and contributes color to gardens—both the blue of its late-season flowers, and the silvery colors of its winter stalks.
- Other uses
Russian sage has a long history of use in traditional medicine, and is smoked as a euphoriant.
In addition to its use in folk medicine, it is sometimes used in Russia to flavor a vodka-based cocktail. Its flowers are eaten in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan, including Kashmir, adding a sweet flavor to salads; they can also be crushed to yield a blue colorant for cosmetics or as a textile dye. This species is considered a candidate for use in phytoremediation because of its rapid growth, tolerance for harsh conditions, and ability to accumulate toxic heavy metals from polluted soil.
The essential oil can function as a biopesticide, especially regarding Tropidion castaneum beetles and Camponotus maculatus carpenter ants.
IV. Russian Sage Varieties
There isn’t a lot of variation between cultivars, but you can find some differences in size, foliage, and flower color:
- ‘Blue Spire’ has deeply cut leaves and purple flowers and grows tall.
- ‘Little Spire’ is a smaller variety, rising only to about two feet (0.6 m). It has lavender-blue flowers.
- ‘Longin’ has a more upright growth habit than some other varieties. The stiff stems help them stay upright and give the plant a more formal appearance.
- ‘Blue Haze’ has paler blue flowers and less finely cut leaves than other types.
- ‘Filigran’ comes from Germany. It has very lacy leaves and brighter blue flowers.
Find Where to Buy the Best Russian Sage (Salvia yangii)
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