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It’s Time for Blooming Blue Flowers of Russian Sage in Your Garden

June 8th, 2008 · 1 Comment · Flower Gardening, flowers, garden plants, home gardening tips

Russian Sage
Questions & Answers (Q&A)
Russian SageIf blue is your favorite color then I having something real interesting for you today. I also love blue colored flowers in my garden. Few years back when I was eagerly looking for adding up blue color to my garden I came across a lovely plant, the “Russian Sage“. It is the best time to talk of this flower plant, as it is a fantastic long-bloomer starting in early to middle June until the end of the September. I am quite fascinated with the light blue colored flowers of this plant.

This perennial flower plant is suitable for rich amended clay garden soil. These plants can be easily grown in hot, sunny, and dry climatic conditions.”Perovskia Atriplicifolia” or the Russian Sage though sounds like it is some way connected with the Russia but actually it is not so. It is neither a sage in real terms nor Russian in its origin.

Russian Sage hails from the uphill’s ranging from Afghanistan to the Tibet. A Russian army general who was a botanist by interest discovered this plant and the plant were named after his name, V.A. Perovsky. In the year 1995, this plant was selected as the “Perennial of the Year” also.

“Blue-Mist” variety of the Russian Sage would give out lighter flowers. This variety is typically an early bloomer. “Blue-Spire” is another variety with violet flowers and deep-cut foliages.“Filagran” variety displays typical filigreed leaves with light blue flowers.

Russian Sage plant grows upright in a shrub-like manner. Its grayish leaves and slender stem give a lacy and delicate appearance. The plant gives out a typical aromatic fragrance when crushed.

The plant does not require extra watering and therefore quite suitable for sunny, hot, and dry climatic conditions. You should grow this plant as a late-season variety in your garden. It will help you fill the space in tough days and will keep butterflies coming in. It is better if you grow the Russian Sage in combination with brown-eyed Susan, purple-coneflowers, sedums, ornamental grass, Joe Pye weed, and white Boltonia.

Russian Sage has a significant amount of immunity from the pests and other diseases and therefore requires minimal care. Pruning of the plant should be done during spring season and it should be never lowered by more than six inches.

This month is great time to have lovely blue colored Russian sage plants in your garden.


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Russian Sage Question & Answers

Russian Sage Question: 1


is russian sage a good to plant with hostas?

growing hostas in a very litely shaded area around japanese maple. is russian sage a good plant to blend in with these.

Answer:
yes, the only thing is you should keep it contained a bit, pulling out the little shoots that pop out.or It will spread out. I have it and it smells great. in the fall, before you cut it back for the winter, we usually burn it in our firepit and it really smells wonderful.

Russian Sage Question: 2


What to do about floppy Russian Sage?

I cut it back hard every spring, but it gets tall and limp. It's 3 years old. It's in a dry, sunny location (Z5). I don't fertilize it because I read that a too-rich soil might cause it to be floppy... I'd like it to be upright and bushy like I've seen in garden mags! I don't want to stake it!

Answer:
You may need to stake it as it grows taller to prevent it from falling over. Another solution would be to buy a few more and plant the Russian sage as a large massing. I planted it this way for a customer of mine. As a single plant it may look a bit spindly. Planted as a large group, however, it appears more bushy.

Russian Sage Question: 3


Does RUSSIAN SAGE grow hardy and FAST??

About to get a little shipment of plants I ordered 1 of which was the all mighty russian sage [what gorgeous plant] Is it pretty easy care? will it really look like the ad in 'spring nursery' [haha, hope so by the end of summer or early fall]

Answer:
I have several and they do great. I don't even give any supplemental irrigation to them (they are very drought tolerant). They can tend to get a little leggy if you let them. Trim them down heavily (nearly to the ground) in the early spring. I whacked mine off and they are nearly full size now. I let them stand alone as they can look very odd if put into groupings. They are very nice plants and require very little care (spring pruning is about all they need). PS: Don't add fertilizer or then can get really wild and out of control.

Russian Sage Question: 4


How should I maintain my russian sage each year?

Do I need to prune it?

Answer:
For the most part, pruning is not necessary. To keep it tidier and a bit shorter, then you can prune in the Spring. When and if I prune mine, I just lop off a foot or so.

Russian Sage Question: 5


Russian Sage Question?

I was spraying Roundup on some weeds around my Russian Sage - I noticed that there were some off-shoots from the sage a foot or so from the main plant and they were sprayed as well... will this kill the main plant?

Answer:
It will kill the offshoots, but not the main plant.

Russian Sage Question: 6


Any body ever grow RUSSIAN SAGE?

How much of a root system on a piece do you need in order to do a transplant? DIVIDING METHODOLOGY I think I had some in teh hot sun and that is why they did not take off too well, from ones that "layered out"...

Answer:
It's actually pretty hard to divide Russian Sage successfully because of the woody base. It's better to take cuttings from shoots that emerge from the base of the plants in spring or early summer, or to just dig up the small offshoots that appear on the outside of established clumps. I like the idea of layering because you just place a rock on the stem touching the ground & it grows roots without much fuss. It makes sense that the bigger the root system, the better the survival rate. However, if the root system happens to be small, the plants should do OK if they have plenty of soil attached to the roots. Be sure to "water regularly during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. After the plants are established they can tolerate drought very well." (1) Make sure they have good drainage or their roots will rot. "Russian sage... is more like an annual or biennial. Plants usually die within two years, but might reappear from seedlings or root suckers." (2) Here's a site about what other's are saying about propagating Russian Sage: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/propa/msg071801341418.html?5 BTW, "Russian sage is neither Russian nor sage." It's a native of Afghanistan & is POISONOUS. (3) Sorry your plants didn't take off. I bet it's because of the extraordinarily hot summer we've had, which has been really hard on most new plants.

Russian Sage Question: 7


Can the skin irritation caused by Russian Sage look like a poison ivy rash. Itchy and blistery looking?
Answer:

Russian Sage Question: 8


Perovski Russian Sage - when does one cut it back? Maybe I should have done it in the fall?
Answer:
Linda, I don't know if I can help you much, but I have a book about herbs and spices here, and in the section of sages, it states, and I quote: "Sage does best on warm, dry soil. Its aromatic strength varies according to soil and climate. Leaves can be harvested from spring to autumn. Plants are best cut back after flowering. Purple, variegated, and tricolor sages are less hardy than common sage, and pineapple sage needs protection from freezing temperature." According to the paragraph above, it is best to cut back the sage after flowering. Here, I am assuming that it refers to all kinds of sage. This book that I have have at least six kinds of sage in it, but without the Perovski Russian Sage.

Russian Sage Question: 9


What can i use sage purple flowers for?

so im about to cut the purple flowers off my russian sage. http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=russian+sage&ei=UTF-8&fr=ytff1-&x=wrt What can i use these flowers for? thanks in advance

Answer:
Dry them and add them to a poupourri pot or mix them with other dried flowers in a basket of flower petals. Dried flower and flower petals in a decorative bowl or basket can really look cute in a guest bedroom, kitchen, etc. With my cut flowers that are herbs, I have a mason jar with about 2 cups of canola oil. I add all the flower and some leaf clippings to the oil. I also used rose petals, lavendar, oregano leave and flowers, etc. When the oil holds as many flowers and leaves as it will take, I cap the container and allow the mixture to age for about three weeks. Then I strain the flowers, leaves ,etc out of the oil and have a great skin/massage oil. I do this same thing with sage leaves but I use olive oil. This makes a great bread dip and/or actual sage oil that you cook with and/or baste a turkey rather than use butter or oil. I am not certain though that russian sage is condusive to this. I do this with regular sage plant. I also do this with oregano.

Russian Sage Question: 10


Is there such thing as a forum for Virginia Gardeners?

I want to exchange ideas on what plants esp fruit and vegetables grows in clay soil and full sun areas. I've successfully planted some rose bushes, russian sage and butterfly bush last year. They are thriving well. But I want some fruits and vegetables too and more flowers.

Answer:
It's called a Garden Club, join one and you will not only get information but plants too. Call your library to find out where one is, they also have clubs that specialize in a certain plant like a rose society

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1 response so far ↓

  • 1 Linda // Aug 29, 2008 at 3:03 pm

    I have a couple of Russian Sages that I would like to transplant to a different part of the yard. Is there a certain time of the year that I should do this?

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