by Matt Gibson
A modest - maintenance , drought - resistant shrub , Russian sage has produce in popularity amongst blossom gardeners in late years , and is an fantabulous choice for xeriscaping . It has a very recollective blooming period , and is cherished by gardeners who prefer a flower bed that is in flush throughout the extended develop time of year . The Russian salvia shrub makes panicles of miniature sluttish blue to lavender - imbue blossom all through the summer .
As if the beauty of its flowers were not enough to get ahead it a place in the mod flower garden , the stems and leaves of the russian sage , are quite attractive on their own , and in some cases , are the reason why russian salvia is cultivated , their flowers holding a junior-grade function ornamentally . The silver staunch of this lovely perennial are so chalky that they appear white from a distance , and are adorned with pretty , feather - similar , silver medal leaf . The bush , if pruned annually , will reach a height of four animal foot , with a gap of about three metrical foot .
Russian sage has fragrant bloom and foliage , but it is the smell of the leaf that attract pollinator , such as hummingbird , honey bees , and butterflies . As is the case with many aromatic works , russian salvia is cervid and rabbit resistant . Russian salvia ’s fine texture makes it a fantastic choice for contrasting plants with a coarser grain . It can be planted in clustering along borders and rock gardens . It can be used as a specimen plant if found with other plants that do not overpower it with unbelievably large , or lustrous splashy flush . With its excellent elevation and long - blooming time , it can work wonder on the back row of a flower bed .
Don’t Eat Russian Sage
Russian sage is not colligate to the edible sage miscellany and should not be used in preparation , or wipe out , due to its slightly poisonous leaves . Russian salvia is not considered poisonous , as it would take a great endeavour to use up enough of it to get disturbed , but precautions should still be carry to insure the safety of children and small favorite . Plant Russian sage in locating that are not easily accessed by children and pets .
Oddly enough , despite the venomous content in the leaves of the Russian sage plant , the flower , and even the leaves have some culinary use . The flowers of Russian salvia have a peppery flavor , and can be added to salad and used as a garnish to beautify meal presentations . Even the leaves , which are more or less toxic , are steeped in sure tea which are believe to assist ease digestive discomfort .
Varieties of Russian Sage
There are quite a few varieties of russian sage that can be grown in the mod garden . A few standouts include :
Perovskia Longin , which is a smaller assortment of russian salvia , with a more bolt upright disposition , a minute soma , and slimly larger leave .
Perovskia Filagran , which is a medium - sized shrub with finely - bring down leaves and a light , airy appearance .
Perovskia Little Spire , a nanus variety that matures at around two foot improbable and one and a one-half to two foot wide .
Growing Conditions for Russian
Sage
Russian Sage is fearless to USDA zone five through 10 . leave a placement that receives full sunlight exposure . develop russian sage in partial spectre locations will stimulate the plant to sprawl . Russian sage does not need any supernumerary fancy soil combinations or a finical pH scope , just a well - drain medium of average fertility .
enclose new russian salvia plants into the garden in the other spring , give them each two to three foot of space on each side . Water very sparingly during dry spells until new works are established . If you need to mulch your sage industrial plant , habituate a gravel mulch alternatively of an organic mulch , crushed rock will be much secure for allow spare surface weewee to vaporise more quickly .
Care of Russian Sage
Russian salvia is drought - resistant , and it thrives in teetotal soil , so it rarely need manual watering once it is institute . Only in cases of extreme drouth and undue warmth should you need to put up your russian salvia plants a potable . Russian sage does not require much fertilizer either , but it will necessitate a small amount of nutrient very seldomly . Every other year , around recent fall , remedy your soil with a handful of world-wide purpose fertilizer or a shovelful of compost .
North of USDA zone 6 , protect your russian salvia from winter ’s temperature drop curtain by mulching the base of your russian salvia industrial plant with a two inch stratum of pine needles . Keep the pine needles in post until early leaping , get rid of them when new growth get down to emerge .
Russian sage is a ruffianly plant which need very little in term of sustainment and care . As they are more or less tall , when acquire on an individual basis , they may postulate some form of support ( such as staking or a peony mob ) to keep it from flopping over . If grown in groups , the plant tend to digest each other and keep themselves upright . For this reason , they work well in patches in the center , or back bulwark of a flush bed . The primary care publication with russian salvia is pruning , which is optional , and is discussed in item in the pruning part below .
Russian salvia is a member of the mint syndicate and spreads by runner . Gardeners will take to supervise and take away russian sage stolon from places that they do n’t need it to spread out or it will take over a garden area very quickly . Pull up suckers in the early spring . water parting plants every four to six years , which will refresh and invigorate them .
How To Propagate Russian Sage
Russian sage should be propagated every four to six long time by division . Divide the clumps or take cut in the give . Dividing will help invigorate the plants and serve to control their tendency to spread aggressively .
How To Prune Russian Sage
Many gardeners opt to cut back their russian sage annually for make the plant life acquire bushier as a resolution . While pruning , cut off any drained branches and keep the intimate rows of branch as tidy as possible . Prune russian salvia back in former or mid - leap . The reasonableness why you should wait until spring to prune the russian sage back instead of cut down in the fall is because the flatware arm add together a overnice touch to the winter landscape painting if left alone . Additionally , if you trim in the fall and do n’t get a severe freeze , the industrial plant could start producing newfangled maturation , which could easily be killed by a strong halt .
There are two basic trimming strategies used to trim the russian sage . One method is to prune the plant down to within a few inches of the ground in early springtime and allow it to regrow however it take to naturally . or else , you could wait until mid - springiness and provide the works stems to pop to make full in richly with leaves . Dead stems will stick out like a sore thumb as they will be the limb that are n’t filling in with leaves , and you’re able to write out them off . Then , decide which remaining branches you desire to prune and which one you want to keep . You could start with root word that are one foot tall and make your cut at one ft . The taller the plant life is in the commencement of bound , the taller it will become by gloam .
Garden Pests and Diseases of
Russian Sage
Aside from an occasional bust with root word putrefaction , which can be avoided by growing the plants in an area with good drain , russian salvia is not susceptible to known disease or pest issue . Do n’t expose russian sage to pesticides used in other parts of the garden , as it tends to attract bees and butterflies that could be harmed by the chemicals .
Common Questions and Answers About
Russian Sage
Can you eat Russian sage plant?
Russian sage is venomous and should not be eaten . It is not related to the sage used as a culinary herbaceous plant , though it is a remote relation of mass .
Can Russian sage grow in part
shade?
The optimal locating for growing Russian sage is one that gets full sun ( at least six 60 minutes of sunlight per sidereal day ) , but the flora can suffer partial shade as well .
Can you grow Russian sage from
cuttings?
Propagate Russian sage by taking cuttings in May or June from the softwood , or the current year ’s newest growth , using sterilized shears . Make your cutting about four to six inch , and slice just below a leaf knob . Strip the bottom two inches of the cut of foliage . Treat the cut terminal with rooting endocrine before implant in a container with a potting blend or a mixture of peat , perlite , and vermiculite . Use a pencil to poke a yap in the grunge about two inches deep , and station the bottom terminal of the film editing into the hole , firming the soil around it . Water deeply , until the piss dribble from the drainage holes in the container . Prop a clear plastic bag over the container with tenacious reefer to help keep the soil moist . The origin system will recrudesce in a few weeks , and then the cutting is quick to be transplant into your garden .
Do bees like Russian sage?
Russian sage pull in pollinators , including bees , butterfly , and hover fly front .
Does Russian sage come back every
year?
Whether or not your Russian sage will come back in the leaping depends on the climate where you live and how insensate it got the previous wintertime . If your area will get below freeze for any significant menstruation of time or you live outside the USDA hardiness zones for Russian sage ( 4 to 9 ) , you may considerstoring your plants for winterorprotecting your plants against the cold . A Russian salvia plant life that has died back during the winter can pullulate the next spring , with new increment come out from the crown , where tooth root and stems meet , and from the stems . Encourage new growth by trimming your Russian salvia plant life so the stem turn are less than 12 inches after all threat of hoar has eliminate in the spring . Cut back again as the conditions plow cold for winter to six to 12 inches . However , gardeners in the coldest areas that originate Russian sage should lead the stems in place over the winter .
Does Russian sage reseed itself?
Russian salvia does sometimes reseed itself in the garden . you’re able to encourage reseeding by let your plant grow all time of year instead of trimming them back . rather of waiting for reseeding , you may also spread new plant life from softwood cutting taken in May and June .
How deep are Russian sage roots?
The root ball of a mature Russian sage industrial plant average about one foot recondite .
How do you fertilize Russian
sage?
Feed Russian salvia once a year , after lop the flora in the spring , using three tablespoon of tedious release 5 - 10 - 5 fertilizer pitter-patter around the base of the flora .
How do you winterize Russian
sage?
Prepare Russian sage for winter by watering deeply in late autumn . Then spread two or three column inch ofmulch , such as pine needles or shredded barque . In especially cold parts of the growing zones for Russian sage ( 4 to 9 ) , skip the early winter pruning to admit the plant to conserve energy rather of creating vulnerable new growing .
How often do you water Russian
sage?
Water unseasoned Russian sage plant weekly to a depth of one inch until the plants are well established . you could look into the wet layer by simply inserting a finger into the soil where your Russian sage is growing . If dirt cling to your fingerbreadth , it is still damp . After plants are well establish , which generally take about a yr , they only need to be watered in periods of drought . Gardeners in especially cold areas can give a deep watering in late fall to avail prepare Russian salvia for winter .
How many hours of sun does
Russian sage need?
Russian sage does salutary in full Lord’s Day , which is at least six hours of sunshine per sidereal day , but it can brook partial shade as well .
Is Russian sage invasive?
Russian sage is not listed as invasive in the National Invasive Species Database . However , some nurseryman have report a tendency to spread , and Russian salvia does reseed under the right condition .
Is Russian sage poisonous to
humans?
Though Russian sage is poisonous , it would be difficult and unbelievable for an grownup to consume enough to cause a harmful response . Still , it is good to keep the works out of stretch of pet and children , because it is toxic at bombastic loony toons .
Is Russian sage toxic to dogs?
Russian salvia is toxic at declamatory doses and should be grown out of the range of children and pets if you think they might seek to eat it . It would be difficult to exhaust enough to do serious injury .
Should Russian sage be cut back?
crop the stems of Russian sage back to 12 inch in the spring when all danger of freeze has pass . Optionally , you’re able to prune after the first undulation of flowering to boost another round of prime . Prune Russian sage again as the weather condition turn for winter , cutting them to six to 12 inches .
Should Russian sage be
deadheaded?
Russian sage does not need to be deadheaded . However , trimming back the faded growth after the first bloom can sometimes further the plant life to blossom again .
Where is Russian sage from?
In spite of its name and the fact it was discovered by a Russian phytologist , Russian salvia is not native to Russia . It grows in Central Asia and Tibet at heights up to 8,000 metrical unit .
Want to learn more about growing Russian Sage?
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