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Phlomis fruticosa (Jerusalem Sage)

Jerusalem Sage, Jupiter's Distaff, Yellow Clary

AGM Award
Phlomis fruticosa, Jerusalem Sage, Jupiter's Distaff, Yellow Clary, Deer resistant perennials, Yellow perennials
Phlomis fruticosa, Jerusalem Sage, Jupiter's Distaff, Yellow Clary, Deer resistant perennials, Yellow perennials

Award-winning Phlomis fruticosa (Jerusalem Sage) is a small spreading semi-evergreen shrub with architectural whorls of deep golden-yellow, hooded flowers borne along the upper half and at the tips of erect stems in early summer. Additional flushes of bloom may occur throughout the growing season if the stems are promptly cut back after flowering. Reminiscent of sage, the foliage of lance-shaped, soft woolly gray-green leaves, up to 5 in. long (12 cm), is however not aromatic. Evergreen in USDA Zones 8-10, Jerusalem sage typically dies to the ground in winter in USDA Zones 5-7, with its roots usually surviving. Seed heads can be left over winter for their effect.

  • Recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society.
  • Grows up to 2-4 ft. high (60-120 cm) and 3-5 ft. wide (90-150 cm).
  • Performs best in full sun in fertile, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils. Drought tolerant once established.
  • Very useful and adaptable in the garden. Excellent choice for the dry sunny border, cottage gardens or coastal gardens.
  • Low maintenance and generally disease free. Watch for leafhoppers.
  • Cut back after flowering to encourage additional blooms.
  • Propagate by softwood cuttings in summer or division in the spring. Propagate by seed in late spring under cover.
  • Native to Albania, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Turkey, and countries of the former Yugoslavia.

Requirements

Hardiness 8 - 10
Heat Zones 8 - 9
Climate Zones 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Shrubs
Plant Family Lamiaceae
Genus Phlomis
Common names Jerusalem Sage
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early, Mid, Late),
Height 2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm)
Spread 3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm)
Spacing 60" (150cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low, Average
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Semi-Evergreen
Tolerance Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil
Attracts Birds, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden, Coastal Garden
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Alternative Plants to Consider

Phlomis lanata ‘Pygmy’ (Woolly Jerusalem Sage)
Phlomis italica (Balearic Island Sage)
Phlomis lanata (Woolly Jerusalem Sage)
Phlomis russeliana (Jerusalem Sage)
Phlomis tuberosa (Jerusalem Sage)

Recommended Companion Plants

Cistus purpureus (Purple-Flowered Rock Rose)
Erysimum ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ (Wallflower)
Salvia x sylvestris ‘Mainacht’ (Wood Sage)
Eschscholzia californica (California Poppy)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

A Lovely Mediterranean Border with Erysimum, Artemisia and Calamintha
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
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Requirements

Hardiness 8 - 10
Heat Zones 8 - 9
Climate Zones 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Shrubs
Plant Family Lamiaceae
Genus Phlomis
Common names Jerusalem Sage
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early, Mid, Late),
Height 2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm)
Spread 3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm)
Spacing 60" (150cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Low, Average
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Plant of Merit, Showy, Semi-Evergreen
Tolerance Drought, Deer, Rabbit, Dry Soil
Attracts Birds, Butterflies
Garden Uses Beds And Borders
Garden Styles Informal and Cottage, Mediterranean Garden, Coastal Garden
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Phlomis
Not sure which Phlomis to pick?
Compare Now

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