ShrubsRussian Sage
Perovskia atriplicifolia
Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is a shrub, hardy in USDA zones 5-9, that matures to about 3-5 ft × 2-4 ft. It does best in full sun with low water needs in well-drained and occasionally-dry soil. Expect blue and purple blooms in summer and fall. It attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds, stands up well to deer, drought and pollution, grows happily in containers.
- USDA zones
- 5-9
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Low
- Mature size
- 3-5 ft × 2-4 ft
- Spacing
- 3 feet-6 feet
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Occasionally-dry
- Foliage
- Silver
- Bloom color
- Blue, Purple
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Attracts
- Bees, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
- Tough against
- Deer, Drought, Pollution, Poor soil, Rabbits, Salt
- Native to
- Himalayas, western China
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — Russian Sage is hardy to about -20°F (estimated from USDA zone 5), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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