Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
[per-OV-skee-ah at-trih-pliss-ih-FOE-lee-ah]

Deciduous Perennial Upright in the Lamiaceae Family
A tough, drought-tolerant perennial grown for its airy haze of lavender-blue flowers and aromatic silvery foliage, blooming for months in the hottest, driest spots in the garden.

Russian sage is an upright, woody-based perennial grown for its long season of small, two-lipped lavender-blue flowers held on airy, branching spikes above finely dissected, aromatic, silvery gray-green foliage. Native to dry rocky slopes of Central Asia, it thrives in full sun and lean, well-drained soil and is prized for tolerating heat, drought, and poor soil that defeats most other flowering perennials. New stems arise from the base each spring; cutting the previous year's woody growth back hard in late winter keeps plants full and upright.

Pros

  • Months of airy lavender-blue bloom from midsummer into fall.
  • Outstanding heat and drought tolerance once established.
  • Aromatic, deer- and rabbit-resistant silvery foliage.
  • Thrives in poor, lean, well-drained soil where many perennials struggle.

Cons

  • Dislikes wet or heavy soil, especially over winter.
  • Taller plants can flop open after heavy rain if not cut back each spring.
  • Slow to show new growth in spring -- easy to mistake dormant plants for dead.
Highlights A classic, nearly carefree perennial for hot, dry, sunny sites -- a long-blooming haze of lavender-blue flowers over aromatic silver foliage that most pests and deer leave alone.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 4 feet tall. 24 - 36 inches wide.
Growth Rate Fast
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium: Thrives in dry to average, well-drained soil once established; does not tolerate wet or poorly drained soil, especially over winter.
Zones 4a - 9b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Dry, Formal Garden, Fragrant Foliage, Full Sun, Full Sun, Good for Accents, Good for Borders, Good for Butterfly Garden, Good for Cottage Garden, Good for Cut Flowers, Good for Mass Planting, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Non-Allergenic, Perennial, Prairie Garden, Rabbit Resistant, Showy Flowers, Well-Drained Soil Blue Flowering Shrubs, Deer Resistant Shrubs, Purple Flowering Shrubs, Small Shrubs, Blue or Purple Flowering Perennials, Full Sun Perennials, Large Perennials, Summer Blooming Perennials
Bloom Period July to September
Flower Color Lavender Blue
Foliage Color Silvery Gray-Green
 

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Rankings
 

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More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other sun-loving, drought-tolerant perennials and grasses such as coneflower, black-eyed Susan, sedum, and little bluestem.

Photos of This with...

Coronation Gold Yarrow, Red Sentinel Astilbe, Glow Hybrid Astilbe, White Gloria Hybrid Astilbe, Rosy Glow Barberry, Rose Glow Japanese Barberry, Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass, Jethro Tull Tickseed, Golden Showers Threadleaf Coreopsis, Bleeding Heart, Purple Coneflower, Gateway Joe Pye Weed, Queen Of The Prairie, Honey Locust, Aureola Japanese Forest Grass, Chicago Apache Daylily, Blackout Coral Bells, Green Spice Coral Bells, Obsidian Coral Bells, Rose Of Sharon, Big Daddy Hosta, Patriot Plantain Lily, Incrediball Smooth Hydrangea, Panicle Hydrangea, Margarita Sweet Potato Vine, Caesar's Brother Siberian Iris, Munstead English Lavender, Ligularia Britt-Marie Crawford, Leichtlin's Lily, Miscanthus Malepartus, Variegated Japanese Silver Grass, Raspberry Wine Beebalm, Phlox Amazing Grace, Alpine Currant, Flower Carpet Pink Supreme Groundcover Rose, Nearly Wild Floribunda Rose, Salvia, Weeping Willow, Burgundy Candles Meadow Sage, East Friesland Meadow Sage, May Night Wood Sage, Lidakense Showy Stonecrop, Bonanza Deep Orange French Marigold, Yew, White Mother-of-Thyme, EnduraScape Blue Verbena, EnduraScape Hot Pink Verbena,
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 04/13 - 09/30


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!