Russian sage
Salvia yangii B.T.Drew
Synonyms: Perovskia atriplicifolia.
Airy, silver-stemmed perennial with a haze of lavender-blue flowers from midsummer to fall. Thrives in heat, drought and alkaline soil.
Size over time
Typical landscape size 0.9–1.2 m (3–4 ft) tall and 0.6–0.9 m (2–3 ft) wide; fast growth, about 2 years to maturity. Intermediate sizes use the planner’s growth curve (k = 0.45) from the #1 install size.
Bloom
Lavender-blue flowers, Jul–Sep (northern-hemisphere months; timing shifts with region and season).
| Plant | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russian sage : Jul–Sep |
Design notes
- Cut back to 15–30 cm in spring as new growth appears.
- Flops in shade or rich soil; compact cultivars (e.g. 'Little Spire') stay upright.
Regions
Native range: Central Asia to the Himalaya.
Not recorded as native to any of the three pilot regions.
Native status describes where the species occurs naturally. It is not a promise that it suits a particular garden; site conditions decide that.
Related plants
Plan with Russian sage
Place it in a design, check it against your zone, light and moisture, and see it at year three and year ten.