Jerusalem sage

Phlomis fruticosa

Description

The Jerusalem sage is mounding to sprawling shrub with herbaceous stems and foliage growing 3-4 ft. tall and 4-5 ft. wide. Heavily textured leaves are 2-3 in. long, pale yellow-green above and white and woolly beneath. Bright yellow flowers occur in candelabra-like whorls on long stems during spring and intermittently over summer.

Jerusalem sage is native to dry rocky cliffs and slopes in coastal and inland areas of the Mediterranean region. Throughout the Inland Empire, it shows good adaptability to different types of soils and moisture variations. It is combined with other flowering shrubs on slopes and in mixed garden plantings where its foliage and flowers provide good character and contrast to other plants.

Plant Type: Shrub
Foliage Character: Evergreen
Habit: Spreading, Mounding, Low-branching, Dense
Growth Rate: Moderate
Foliage Color: Pale green
Flower Color: Yellow
Flower Season: Summer, Spring
Soil Adaptations: Well-draining soil, Rocky soil
Exposure Adaptations: Morning sun, Heat, Drought, Aridity, All day sun
Function: Residential spaces, Raised planters, Foliage accent plant, Flowering accent plant, Borders, Banks, Background plant
Height: 3 ft. – 4 ft.
Width: 4 ft. – 5 ft.

Watering Schedule: Low 2

For most situations, we recommend watering deeply every 2 weeks after establishment.

Learn how to apply this watering schedule to your landscape on our How to water waterwise and California native plants page.

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 two weeks. Before watering again, check the soil. It should be significantly dry at least 4” below the soil surface before watering.
To save water, in many cases you can go longer in between waterings during the winter, often up to 3-4 weeks between watering for well-established plants. Two weeks after watering, check the soil approximately 4” below the surface. If it is still significantly moist, you can wait longer before watering again.
In most cases, if you have a “smart timer” or weather sensitive irrigation controller, you may use these features to save some water in in the fall and winter. If you are using automatic weather adjusting functions, continue to allow the timer to run every two weeks. It will adjust the number of minutes it runs to account for the cooler weather.
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.

Cut back lightly after flowering stocks fade (5). In fall, cut back the plant to half its size to keep compact and reinvigorate (5). The fuzzy leaves can cause irritation to people with sensitive skin. If you think you might be affected, wear long sleeves and gloved when pruning (S). Additionally, when pruning, the fuzz can come off the leaves and cause respiratory irritation, so wearing a dust mask is also recommended when pruning or handling pruned materials (S). References

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Jerusalem sage

Description

Watering Schedule: Low 2

Important Notes

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