Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

Why Should I Grow Russian Sage?

Russian Sage is a fantastic plant to grow in your garden for several reasons:

Drought Tolerance: Russian Sage is extremely drought-tolerant once established, making it an excellent choice for xeriscaping or for gardens in arid regions.

Long Blooming Period: The plant blooms from mid-summer to fall, providing beautiful lavender-blue flowers when many other plants have finished their blooming period.

Aesthetic Appeal: With its airy, upright growth and beautiful blue-purple flowers, Russian Sage can add a stunning visual element to any garden.

Attracts Pollinators: Russian Sage is a favorite of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, making it an excellent choice for a pollinator garden.

Deer and Rabbit Resistance: Due to its strong aroma, Russian Sage is usually not favored by deer or rabbits, making it a good choice for gardens where these animals are a problem.

Low Maintenance: Russian Sage is a robust plant that requires minimal care once established, making it a good choice for novice gardeners or those looking for low-maintenance plants.

Versatility: This plant works well in various garden settings, from the back of a border to mass plantings and even as a standalone specimen.

Foliage and Fragrance: The silvery-gray foliage of the Russian Sage offers a unique color contrast in the garden, and the strong, pleasant fragrance of the leaves adds another sensory dimension to your landscape.

By growing Russian Sage, you can enjoy a low-maintenance, long-blooming, and attractive plant that contributes significantly to the ecosystem of your garden.

Garden Design With Russian Sage

Designing a garden with Russian Sage can create an impressive and vibrant landscape. The plant’s height, long blooming period, and stunning lavender-blue flowers make it an excellent addition to many garden styles. Here are a few design ideas:

Back of Borders: Due to its height, Russian Sage is an excellent choice for the back of perennial borders. It provides a backdrop of color and texture from mid-summer to fall.

Cottage Gardens: Russian Sage fits in well with the casual, mixed planting style of cottage gardens. Pair it with other perennials that have a similar tolerance for dry conditions, such as Lavender, Salvia, and Yarrow.

Xeriscaping: Because it’s drought-tolerant, Russian Sage is an excellent choice for xeriscapes or rock gardens. Combine it with other drought-tolerant plants like Sedum, Agave, or Ornamental Grasses.

Prairie or Meadow Gardens: Russian Sage’s airy, transparent nature makes it a great choice for a prairie or meadow-style garden. It blends well with grasses like Switchgrass (Panicum) or Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis).

Mass Plantings: For a dramatic display, plant Russian Sage in large groups. The effect of its silvery foliage and lavender-blue flowers en masse can be breathtaking.

Pollinator Gardens: Russian Sage attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Plant it with other pollinator-friendly plants like Coneflowers (Echinacea), Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia), and Milkweed (Asclepias) to create a buzzing, vibrant garden.

Contrast Planting: Use Russian Sage to contrast with plants that have darker foliage or bold, warm-colored flowers. For example, pair it with Black-Eyed Susans, Daylilies, or plants with burgundy leaves.

Container Gardening: While Russian Sage is a large plant, dwarf varieties can be grown in containers, where they can provide height and color.

Remember to provide Russian Sage with full sun and well-drained soil, and give it room to spread out, as it doesn’t like to be crowded. With proper care, this versatile, low-maintenance plant can be a showstopper in your garden design.

Companion Plants

Russian Sage makes an excellent companion for many plants due to its tall, airy form, long blooming season, and the lovely contrast of its lavender-blue flowers and silvery-gray foliage. Here are some plants that pair well with Russian Sage:

Coneflower (Echinacea): The vibrant colors of coneflowers contrast beautifully with the muted tones of Russian Sage, and their similar bloom times mean they’ll look great together in the summer and fall.

Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia): These bold yellow flowers contrast nicely with the lavender-blue flowers of Russian Sage. Both plants are drought-tolerant and love full sun.

Ornamental Grasses: Grasses like switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) or feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora) echo the upright form of Russian Sage and provide a soft texture contrast.

Yarrow (Achillea): The flat flower clusters of yarrow in yellow, red, or pink make a nice contrast to the tall spires of Russian Sage.

Coreopsis: This plant, also known as tickseed, produces bright, sunny flowers in shades of yellow, gold, and red. Its bloom period often coincides with that of Russian Sage, making for a lovely color contrast. Coreopsis also prefers full sun and well-drained soil, similar to Russian Sage.

Helenium: Also known as sneezeweed, Helenium blooms in late summer and fall, just like Russian Sage, with daisy-like flowers in warm hues like red, orange, and yellow. These hot colors make a bold contrast with the cool blue of Russian Sage.

Sedum: Sedum, with its large pink flower clusters that darken to copper in fall, pairs well with the airy Russian Sage and extends the flowering season into fall.

Lavender (Lavandula): Both plants share a love for sunny, dry conditions and their contrasting forms – the mound of lavender against the tall, wispy Russian Sage – provide a great visual interest.

Daylilies (Hemerocallis): The bold flowers and grass-like foliage of daylilies complement the tall, airy form of Russian Sage. Choose cultivars that bloom at the same time for a stunning display.

Catmint (Nepeta): Catmint and Russian Sage both enjoy similar growing conditions, and the low, mounding habit of catmint contrasts nicely with the tall spires of Russian Sage.

When choosing companion plants, consider plants that enjoy similar conditions – full sun and well-drained soil. The best companions will offer contrasting or complementary forms, textures, or colors.

Growing Tips

Growing Russian Sage isn’t very complicated as it’s a robust, low-maintenance plant. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Choosing the Site: Select a location with full sun, as Russian Sage loves sunshine and will produce the most vibrant blooms in sunny spots. It can tolerate partial shade, but it might become leggy and bloom less.

Soil Preparation: Russian Sage prefers well-drained soil and is very tolerant of a wide range of soil types, including poor, sandy, rocky, or clay soils. It’s an excellent choice for areas with dry soil where other plants struggle. Russian Sage will not survive in soggy, poorly drained soil. Good drainage and aeration will enable the plant to survive wet winters. While it can tolerate poor soils, amending with organic matter can help establish the plant.

Planting: Plant in early spring or fall. Dig a hole that’s twice the width of the root ball and the same depth. Place the plant in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Backfill with soil, firming it gently around the root ball.

Spacing: Space plants about 3 feet (90 cm) apart to allow for their mature size.

Watering: Water thoroughly after planting. While Russian Sage is drought-tolerant once established, it will need regular watering during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system.

Staking: Russian Sage tends to flop a little, particularly when young. It can be staked or planted near other plants that will support them. A Russian sage cultivar, Perovskia ‘Denim ‘n Lace’ is more upright in habit than older varieties and is noted for its stronger stems that do not spill over onto their neighbors.

Mulching: Apply a layer of mulch around the plant to conserve moisture and suppress weeds, but avoid mulching right up against the stem to prevent rot.

Pruning: Prune Russian Sage back in early spring, just as new growth emerges, to about 6 inches (15 cm) above the ground. This helps promote vigorous growth and a more compact shape.

Fertilizing: Russian Sage doesn’t require much feeding. However, a light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring before new growth begins can be beneficial.

Pest and Disease Control: Russian Sage is generally pest-free and disease-resistant.

Propagation and Division: Plants should be divided n early spring or late fall every 4-6 years to rejuvenate them. Propagation can also be done from softwood cuttings taken in late spring, semi-ripe cuttings in summer or by collecting and sowing the seeds in the fall. Germination usually takes 1-4 months at an optimum temperature of 60-65ºF (15-18ºC).

Remember, Russian Sage is a fantastic choice if you’re looking to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds to your garden, and it can be a beautiful addition to a drought-tolerant or xeriscaping garden design.