Alyssum Flowers
When planning for next year’s gardens and landscape, make sure to include some Russian sage, Perovskia atriplicifolia (changed to Salvia yangii). Although the Latin words are a mouthful, most gardeners are well aware of the tall, bushy plant with silver-gray slender leaves and blue flowers that continues to bloom until hard frosts occur. This hardy perennial is a magnet for pollinators including honey bees, native solitary bees, swallowtail butterflies, monarchs, skippers, moths, syrphid flies, colorful beetles and even hummingbirds.
Russian sage was named Perennial Plant of the Year in 1995 due to its versatility in the landscape and rugged tolerance of different soil conditions. Native to Central Asia, it is found at elevations up to 8000 feet in the mountains of Tibet and is a mint, not a sage (Salvia spp.). Unlike other mints, is not likely to take over an area in its range of Zone 4-9 in the United States. Russian sage was named by a Russian botanist honoring B.A. Perovskia and because of the lovely sage-like scent of the leaves when handled.
Growing 3-4 feet tall and equally wide, Russian sage mixes well with other plants. It complements rose bushes, coneflowers, and compact shrubs, due to its upright, carefree growth habit and columns of purple-blue tubular flowers attached to the stems at the end of each branch. It grows best in full sun with well drained soil, but it tolerates dry clay and poor soil once it has become established. It is mostly pest and disease free, but make sure that the plants do not sit in water very long, to avoid root rot.
Cultivars include Blue Mist, with pale blue flowers, ‘Blue Spire’, with deeply lobed leaves and purple flowers, ‘Blue Jean Baby’ with electric blue flowers, ‘Denim ‘n Lace’ a dark blue version, and Little Spire, a compact version that only reaches 2 feet tall. The Chicago Botanical Gardens performed an evaluation of cultivars in 2020. The link to the document is below. A. I. Root planted one which has been growing well and is already attracting a “crowd” of visitors (insects and ‘others’).
Many local garden centers still have Russian sage at a discounted price. Plant them now or purchase in the spring. You can root cuttings from soft new stems once the plants are established. It is recommended to cut the Russian sage to 1-2 feet tall in the spring to encourage new growth. No matter which cultivars are planted, you will be delighted by the constant show of color and activity. It is a “must” for every landscape!
