| Description | Russian Sage ABC's (Perovskia atriplicifolia) Perovoskia are loose airy sub-shrubs with gray foliage and lavender-blue flowers. |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Perennials Hardy, Site author's observations |
| Hardiness Zone | 5 |
| Sunlight | full |
| Moisture | average, tolerates dry once established |
| Soil & Site | average, can't tolerate wet soils especially in the winter, this is sure death |
| Temperature | top parts of the plants are killed with light frosts |
| Flowers | tubular lavender blue flowers borne in terminal racemes or panicles, airy |
| Leaves | leaves and stems whitish gray in color |
| Stems | square stems typical of the Lamiaceae family, fragrant when crushed (especially when I prune the plants) |
| Dimensions | 3 feet |
| Maintenance | best not to cut flush with the ground, I like to leave 6 or more inches of stem, this is where the new buds will form for the next growing season, also I will periodically prune back some of the branches to help prevent the "Perovskia Flop" which is common to this group |
| Propagation | cuttings |
| Native Site | Russian Sage is not native to Russia but is found in Afghanistan & western Pakistan. |
| Cultivar Origin | The genus is named for VA Perovski a Russian general. |
| Author's Notes | I really like to use this perennial for the whitish gray foliage and flower color. The lose airiness of the plants allows for plants to grow up and through the plant. At a Perennial Plant Association convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota USA, I saw Pervoskia inter planted with Echinacea, a combination I still use today. When the Magnolia start dropping their petals (really tepals) I call this "Magnolia Snow". When the Perovskia start droping thier petals the area around the plant is littered with bluish petals or "Perovskia Snow". |
| Notes & Reference | #04-Herbaceous Perennial Plants (Allan Armitage), #79-Perennials For Every Purpose (Larry Hodgson) |
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