Russian sage

Perovskia atriplicifolia

Description

The Russian sage is a distinctive flowering perennial growing with several upright branches from the base, reaching 3-4 ft. tall. Pale gray green leaves are finely divided and produce a soft color and texture value. Most leaves drop off during the winter. Small flowers are intense lavender-blue and produce a colorful display on branched stems during late spring and into summer.

Russian sage is native to harsh climate zones of central and western Asia. As a result, it is a hardy plant that tolerates conditions of heat and cold throughout the Inland Empire which makes it useful in colder areas of this region. It is a good foliage and flowering accent plant in perennial gardens where it does best in full sun and reduced amounts of summer moisture following its flowering cycle.

Plant Type: Perennial
Foliage Character: Winter deciduous
Habit: Upright, Spreading, Open
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Pale green
Flower Color: Purple, Lavender, Blue
Flower Season: Summer, Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Rocky soil
Exposure Adaptations: Heat, Drought, Cold hardy, Aridity, All day sun
Function: Flowering accent plant, Commercial spaces, Borders, Banks, Attracts butterflies, Rock gardens, Residential spaces, Raised planters, Hummingbird plant, Grouped, Foliage accent plant
Height: 3 ft. – 4 ft.
Width: 3 ft. – 4 ft.

Watering Schedule: Medium

For most situations, we recommend watering once per week after establishment, watering very deeply in summer, less deeply in fall and spring, and even less in winter.

See our recommendations for how much water to apply each time you water, below. Note that these recommendations are intended for inland valley areas of Southern California including the Inland Empire, San Gabriel, and San Fernando Valleys. People in cooler or warmer areas may use this as a baseline but should adjust based on local needs.

Learn how to provide 1” of water to your landscape here, and adjust to provide more or less based on the recommendations above for each time of year.

Seasonal Watering Recommendations

June – August: once per week, water deeply, applying approximately 1.25” of irrigation.
September – October: once per week, water deeply, applying approximately 0.75” of irrigation.
November – February: once per week, water deeply, applying approximately 0.5” of irrigation.
March-May: once per week, water deeply, applying approximately 0.75” of irrigation.

Learn how to provide 1” of water to your landscape here, and adjust to provide more or less based on the recommendations above for each time of year.

Adjusting to your local needs

These recommendations for Medium / Moderate water demanding plants were created for Southern California inland valley areas. Southern California areas closer to the coast and along the coast will usually be able to water significantly less during the warm months of the year. For desert areas, check with local experts to be sure plants are appropriate for the area and anticipate needing to water more.

As a very general baseline, people in Los Angeles and similar areas can try setting a schedule of 80% of the in Spring, Summer, and Fall and adjust as necessary based on observation. The difference is less pronounced in the winter months, so we recommend starting with the same recommendations as above for winter. People in cooler coastal areas such as Santa Monica can try using this same approach but adjust to use 75% of the chart recommended minutes for the Spring, Summer, and Fall months.

Important Notes

These are general guidelines. Always observe and adjust as necessary for your landscape.
If it rains over 1” you will likely not need to water for at least another week, possibly longer. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering again.
It is important to group plants with the same water needs together in the landscape to avoid needing to over or under water plants when running your irrigation system.
“Smart timers” or weather sensitive irrigation controllers such as Rachio and Hunter Hydrawise are ideal for watering plants in this category because they will automatically adjust how much they water based on the weather so you do not need to reprogram the timer seasonally. Rebates for these types of irrigation controllers are available through socalwatersmart.com.

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Russian sage

Description

Watering Schedule: Medium

Seasonal Watering Recommendations

Adjusting to your local needs

Important Notes

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Russian sage

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