I am planning on adding russian sage to my garden this year, but I have a few questions that I am unable to find the answers. I am hoping that someone who has grown this in the past will be able to help me out.
During the winter, does russian sage have to be cut down or can I leave it standing? My assumption is that I will have a lacey skeleton during winter, but I just want to be sure.
One of the areas that I am considering using this is partly sunny. All the literature that I have seen says it needs full sun, but sometimes we can work around the recommendations.
There are several different varieties. I am looking at the little spire as well as Blue Spire (a taller version). Are they really trouble free, and deer resistant, and most of all do you like this plant. Any information and pictures of it in your garden would be welcome.
Need information on Russian Sage - perovskia
I leave it standing and cut it back in the spring. It's in the same family as salvia and I know they have hollow stems and you can wind up with them rotting if you cut them back over the winter, so I figured the same thing might happen to Perovskia. Regardless of whether that's the case or not there's certainly no harm in leaving them standing.
As far as sun, mine are in full sun but I don't know how they'd do with less--how many hours of sun does that area get?
They are trouble free--only thing I ever do to them is cut them back in the spring and occasionally water them during the summer. I never fertilize them. No idea about the deer since I don't have problems with them in my yard.
There is no plant that has to be cut down for the winter... no one cuts down plants in nature, and if the plant dies to the ground, the stems are dead and it makes no difference to the plant if they are cut down or not, or when. The only reason for cutting down dead stems is aesthetic... the gardener's opinion of whether dead stems intermixed with new growth looks messy or not. Hope that helps.
It is an easy plant to grow.It gets larger every year.Thrives on neglect.I do prune back in late fall.Really strong winds up here during the winters.I hate broken stems.I prune back to about 18".Its not necessary,it is just something I do.Edge
I leave mine standing too, In the spring, as soon as it is coming to life, I cut it down to about 8 or 10 inches. The branches grow back pretty quickly and by June it is lightly blooming and doesn't quit till frost. By August it is blooming gang-busters! I've found the pruned branches root very easily too. So far this plant has not been invasive in my garden, in 4 years there have only been a couple of runners come up.
Here is what the 4 year old plant looks like today (winter)
(I hate that block wall but in the summer it disappears behind flowers.)
I have mine in all-day sun, but if you have at least 5 hours of sun it should be fine. Once it is established you don't need to give it any extra water it at all, too much will kill it for sure. I've had mine about 5 years and they are probably about 4"X4". I do cut them way back when new growth starts in the spring. One thing to be aware of though is that bees LOVE them. My plants are always swarming with bees in the summer. They are also very fragrant (sage-y scent) so deer wont touch them.
OOps - not 4"X4" - that should 4'X4' (FEET not inches)!
This message was edited Feb 14, 2009 11:14 PM
Thank you everyone for your replies. Outside of the nursery, I have never seen russian sage.
Every year, there are a bunch of new items that I want to add to my garden, and perovskia is topping the list this year. Russian sage is going to be one of the background plants in a new border that I am creating in the back of my yard. I am planning to plant several this spring.
pennefeather - I am in the market for Russian sage this year, but am looking for the shorter version - "Little Spires" - the original version can be floppy, I've heard. Samantha
I have the taller one and I've never had trouble with mine flopping. But if you live in a wetter area than I do and/or water it more often maybe it would grow faster and have more of a tendency to flop.
Mine doesn't flop either, but I agree - water is probably the issue. Little Spires is a nice compact version, much smaller than the normal tall one.
After planting one we found that we are both very allergic to them. They have a strong, unpleasant smell and it was by our mail box. After ripping it out, getting rashes on our arms too--many keep coming up near the area. Just a friendly warning if you or your family have any allergies.
I've found Little Spire at High Country Gardens. I should be able to find it locally in early April.
http://www.highcountrygardens.com/catalog/product/76614/
I was doing some more research, and found Little Spire at Bluestone for a good price, but I decided to bite. My nursery has very good quality, but is way overpriced. I would prefer to have a smaller plant since these grow quickly.
I think that I would have held out on purchasing, but Bluestone had two other perennials that I was looking for at half price.
Somewhere, I also saw that Little Spire is better for partly shadey areas as well.
I have Russian Sage growing in full sun and partial sun. No question that the plants growing in full sun are larger and have better shape. The ones growing in partial sun lean and the stems twist. I would definitely leave up for the winter since they are sub-shrubs and provide much needed winter interest in my perennial bed.
I have the tall---4ft Russian Sage growing along my driveway where it receives full sun until about 3pm. I like the plant but I should have given it more room. The branches spreads out wide.
A great plant to grow where it's dry. Mine is not invasive. I also cut mine down to 3" in the fall due to our strong winds. Actually, I got down all my perennials in the fall because it is easier to cut the stems when they are still green, rather than dry. In the spring it makes it easier to rake. Gives me a head start and won't catch the leaves from my neighbors tree. I go over all plants again early spring and cut or pull out anything that is dead.
Never lost a plant yet from cutting back in the fall.
Thanks for confirming that they are deer resistant. I know that they will eat anything if they are hungry, but I don't want to knowingly plant something in this area where deer like nibbling that says "dinner is served!".
My daughter and son-in-law built a house in WY on what was once virgin prairie. Although I live in town, they live about 20 min. drive from me so we are always trading plants. Her main concern is deer, antelope, and rabbits. She has a huge garden area, and they did put up a tall fence last summer. Every evening we have a parade of antelopes strolling by to reach the water trought placed for their horses. Believe me, she has had her share of antelope nibbling on her plants before the fence. However, they didn't even try Irises, Sedums, Semps, Creeping Phlox, Salvia, Russian Sage, Marigold, Delosperma (Iceplant) Hardy Geraniums, and Helenium.
Go online and search for deer resistant plants. There is a long list. Your state extension service should have a list for your area.
Deer supposedly don't like things that are fuzzy or smelly. Russian sage are both.
I have the taller Russian Sage, and in an area that is shaded from about 2:00 PM on. It grows very well, although mine does slump a little. The area it's in gets lots of hot summer wind and this is one of the few things that I've found to do well there. I live in the country but have not had any trouble with anything eating it...deer, rabbits or children...although all three of those critters do occasionally eat other things in my yard. Hope you'll find it works for you.
Kathy
Planted russian sage last year and can't wait to see it this year.
Hopefully it will be nice and big !! I don't cut my plants in the fall, the added texture when we get a snowfall makes the garden look nice, and I know where the plants are in the spring when I clean !!
We have Perovskia in the garden in Asheville, NC, in full sun and I love it! I let it stand during the winter and cut back in the spring just to control the size.
I have the Russian Sage and I have to agree that it does tend to lean and grow towards the sun. I recommend putting it in full sun if possible. I do not cut mine back until the Spring when I tidy up my beds.
Nana3
Hi pennefeather,
I will b cutting mine down very soon. I had so many of their "babies" to give away last summer (their 3rd year).
They look so beautiful in contrast to the black cherry roses planted near them.
I'm sure you will enjoy them!!
Teri
Pretty picture Teri. I think that I am going to put one in a new island in full sun along with a miscanthus, and some perenials. The other two that I am getting will be in the backyard where it is partly sunny, but that is also where the deer graze occasionally.
Hi Pennfeather, I have two beds each containing rows of 7 Russian sage growing in full sun. They are about 3'-4' tall and are gorgeous in late July and Aug. I cut them way back in the spring leaving about 12". They come back vigorously every summer. I always have a lot of these plants to share since they reseed and spread by thick underground roots. If you can wait about a month I'd be happy to send you some of these rooted pieces. I probably pull out at least 20-40 pieces. I've given them away to lots of people and they have grown quickly. We have lots of deer that graze in our yard each night and they have never touched my Russian sage. In fact, our local county extension office has these plants on their repel deer plant list. I happen to like the sage smell of these plants but would agree that they do bother my sensitive skin. I wear long sleeves when working with them. Their gray foliage and purple flowers look beautiful with pink flowers planted nearby. I often plant annual vinca in that same bed and the combo is stunning. Good luck and let me know if you want some cuttings.
Stinny,
Thank you so much for your offer! I am actually waiting for 3 to arrive, but if you could spare three more, I would love to have them. I have an unknown bush in full sun that I don't care for, and I think that this would make a wonderful replacement. I'm also thinking that I will expand the shrub border with my neighbor - while they are wonderful people, they are probably going to put their house on the market within the next few months because of the death of the husband; he was 92, and his wife is in her mid seventies.
I can definitely send you 3. Depending on the weather I will probably be cutting back the RS in the next couple of weeks. If you send me your address via dmail and I will get them out to you within the next 2-3 weeks.
My perovskias have done very well in full sun and have gotten pretty tall and spidery. That is part of their charm for me. However, I have lots of volunteers and would like to move them somewhere else. I am a very insecure gardener with some things and would like to ask you experts whether you think I could just lift them out and immediately plant them somewhere else, or whether I need to keep them in pots for a while? Some of them are just one little wispy thing, others may have more already. (I just discovered them).
Thanks, C.
Lots of baby Perovskias for me, too, I noticed last week when I was in Asheville, so I'll be moving some around.
It can get so hot here so fast - 95° today - that I never have any success moving small babies even with roots. For several years now what has worked extremely well for me is sticking newly pruned stems in pots/buckets of dirt. I prune in the spring when I first spot new growth so the stems are ready to grow. I plant when the weather is cooperating. LOL, after saying all that I wonder if it might be cool enough where you are move these small plants.
No question it is a beautiful plant, particularly for dry areas. I had a fair stand of them when I lived in New Mexico. However, there is a down side. Russian sage is an aggressive spreader and keeping it under control can be a chore.
Interesting - I did not know that it could be aggressive. At this point I don't mind it yet, may even use this quality to some advantage somewhere and will try to give some away (if they survive after digging).
I didn't see any one else mention this, but I have found this will start growing off some of the lower portions of the old stems. So it is a good idea to wait until the plant has begun growing in spring to cut the old stems off. It reminds me of how my butterfly bushes and rue plants are. Isn't that called a sub shrub?
I pull up the "babies" and give them away. These never spread because of that.
Just wondering if any of you get a lot of butterflies on the Russian Sage??
I don't often hear of them as butterfly nectar plants, but they certainly have the look of one...
Roses, that is a beautiful picture of your RS in its setting!
The bees seem more interested in mine than the butterflies do...but they're right across a narrow path from my butterfly bushes so maybe that's why!
Thanks Tobasco,
Mine are always full of bees also ecrane. Don't see many butterflies.
Mmm...that's what I thought (about the BFs).
I still love the Russian Sages and planted four of them last year with Coneflowers and yarrow. Very effective combo!
Did find some plants attracted more bees than anything else !!