Russian sage

Salvia yangii

also called perovskia

Almost nothing troubles it but wet soil; the plant asks for heat and neglect, and repays both.

Light Full sun is essential — an open, hot position.
Water Very drought-tolerant; what it will not forgive is wet roots.
Height 1.2 m
Spread 2 ft 11 in
Spacing 90 cm

Spacing & sowing

Plant spacing
2 ft 11 in
In-row spacing
2 ft 11 in
Between rows
3 ft 8 in
Square-foot density
Not suited to SFG

Growing

Type
Flower · Perennial
Botanical family
Mixed / other
Sunlight
Full sun is essential — an open, hot position.
Watering
Very drought-tolerant; what it will not forgive is wet roots.
Feeding
Rarely needed; poor soil suits it better than rich.
Frost tolerant
Yes
Flowering
July
Pruning
Cut it hard back to 15-30 cm, and only in spring.

Through the year

  • Mar–Jul Spring Growth
  • Jul–Oct Flowering
  • Oct–Nov Growing
  • Nov–Dec Leaf Fall
  • Jan–Mar Leaf Fall

Companions

Lavender, Grasses, Echinacea, Sedum

Pests & problems

  • Generally trouble-free No notable pest or disease problems when grown in the right conditions — one of the easy ones.