Russian Sage
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| Perovskia atriplicifolia Benth. |
Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia Benth.) is a deciduous perennial with upright, grayish white stems and lobed, deeply notched silvery-grey leaves 5 cm long and 2.5 cm wide. Older stems are woody at the base, and younger stems are herbaceous and square in cross section. The stems and leaves give off a pungent odor when crushed or bruised. In late summer and autumn, Russian sage produces spires of small, tubular flowers of blue or lavender colour. These spires may grow up to 30 cm long, and last up to two or three months. Russian sage grows in a clump, up to 1.5 m tall with a spread of up to 60 cm, although cultivars may be smaller. It is considered a sub-shrub.
Despite its name, Russian Sage is a native of Pakistan and Afghanistan. It requires full sun, but is hardy and cold tolerant. It is also tolerant of dry, chalky soils with a high pH, salt tolerant and drought tolerant.
Cultivars, such as 'Blue Spire' and 'Little Spire' may actually be hybrids of P. atriplicifolia and P. abrotanoides, although they are marketed as P. atriplicifolia.
