Sage - Russian (Salvia yangii) Perovskia atriplicifolia Russian Sage Heirloom Herb

Sage - Russian (Salvia yangii) Perovskia atriplicifolia Russian Sage Heirloom Herb

Perennial

Height 3 to 4 ft tall

Russian Sage (previously known as Perovskia atriplicifoli) is a beautiful and useful herb and as the name implies, it is similar to the culinary sage in scent and appearance, and shares some uses and is reported to be a nutrient dense herb support for cold symptoms, fever reduction and indigestion. Russian Sage is a nectar source for bees and attracts butterflies.

Russian sage is also categorized as a flowering woody herbaceous perennial plant and subshrub. Although not previously a member of Salvia, the genus widely known as sage, since 2017 it has been included within them. Russian sage plants grow to be shrubs with open airy habits and produce upright drifts with panicles of small lavender-blue tubular shaped flowers that bloom from mid-summer into fall.

Russian Sage is easy to grow and virtually maintenance free once established. Mature plants are 3 to 4 ft wide; foliage is gray green in color. Russian sage needs full sun (hot intense sun) to perform its best; plants tend to flop open as stems stretch for sunlight if planted in part shade areas. Choose a location with hot, intense sun, even as hot as the space between sidewalk and street or a strip along a driveway. Russian sage is drought tolerant - perfect for xeriscaping!

• Full sun
• Sandy lean and well draining soil
• Place seeds in a resealable plastic bag (prevents moisture from collecting around the seeds) and set the seeds in the fridge for 30 to 42 days; this process speeds up germination and increases the rate that the seeds sprout.
• Fill a seed tray (one with a cover) with seed starter soil mix. Mist the soil with water in a spray bottle until the water pools on the surface of the soil. Let the water drain away and spray the soil again. Spread the seeds evenly over the top of the soil and lightly press the seeds into the soil to ensure there is contact with the moist soil. Place the plastic cover over the tray to keep the moisture in. Place the seed tray in an unheated area out of direct sunlight. Check the soil occasionally for moisture and mist the soil whenever it starts to dry out.
• Germination: typically between 30 and 120 days. Ideally, keep temperatures are between 60 and 65 F, but the seeds will still germinate with fluctuating outside temperatures.
• Remove the plastic cover when the seeds start to sprout. When the seedlings are large enough to handle, and risk of all frost has passed, and transplant the seedlings to individual plant pots filled with potting soil. Transplant outdoors in late spring or early summer.
• Harvesting seeds: seeds grow in bell-shaped flowers along the sage stem; they are fairly large and can be easily seen in the plant. Once the seeds turn dark and flowers begin to turn brown, cut the flower stalk and place upside down in a paper bag. As the seeds ripen, they will fall into the bottom of the bag.
• Seed Count: 5