These can be planted any time during the growing season. Prune sage bushes lightly in summer after flowering. In southern NH, October is the ideal time of year for fall division or transplanting. Russian sage needs full sun to bloom well. Russian sage comes in several cultivars, including Blue Mist (Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Blue... Rooting Russian Sage Cuttings. Since it is drought tolerant, once it is established, it can handle dry, hot areas well. Some varieties of Perovskia have a somewhat weeping form. How to Transplant Russian Sage Russian Sage Varieties. Give Russian sage a well-draining soil and full sun for best growth. like "Logi", or use something like pea brush to keep the weeping side from flopping. They tolerate poor soil, drought, and a wide range of soil pH. Older plants do not divide well. For now, feel free to continue reading. The biggest maintenance requirement of Russian sage is pruning. Choose a location with very well-drained soil of average fertility in full sun. Divide Russian sage in the spring while the plants are still small. Although Russian sage is extremely drought tolerant, new transplants will need regular water. Germination can take up to four months. The flowers themselves are actually very small bluish purple in color with a four lobed upper petal and a smaller lower petal. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. It goes from a hazy, pale blue to a jubilant azure. It has fragrant leaves and it blooms from mid-summer season to the fall. Carefully dig around roots, starting one foot away from the plant base. You can start Russian sage from seed, but you will need to be patient. Do you have floppy Russian sage that is driving you crazy thinking about how to care for it? Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board. Choose a cool morning on an overcast day so the roots won't dry out quickly, and so the newly-divided plant will have time to establish in its new location. Stay tuned for the first newsletter in the morning, straight to your inbox. You can also plant them later in the summer as long as you get them in the ground six weeks before a hard frost. Russian sage grows so well in hot, dry, sunny clay that in some areas it is considered invasive, so check local restrictions before planting it. The best times for transplanting perennials are the months when the weather is cool. In the case of the Russian sage, the calyx is covered in coa… The process tends to start sometime in July and continue through August. Basic planting steps apply whether you're planting in spring, summer or fall: Dig a hole a little deeper and about twice as wide as the plant's root ball. Russian sage is a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant shrub, making it a great choice for xeriscaping. Aug 10, 2016 - Learn about pruning Russian sage, including a few tips on Russian sage propagation, from the experts at HGTV Gardens. Disclosure. The grayish-green leaves of Perovskia are pungently scented, apparent when they are crushed or brushed against. The flowers are excellent for cutting. These offshoots do not transplant easily. Often what seems like the flowers on Russian sage are actually the calyx,a tube that protects the flowers from damage before they bloom. … Russian sage is a beautiful perennial with small blue flowers that is neither Russian nor sage.Though it has the aroma of sage when the leaves are crushed, the plant is inedible and actually can be quite poisonous. These plants are very easy to grow. They will quickly fill the space. This is an airy plant that makes a great specimen. The fuzzy flowers are whorled around silver-gray stems, forming an unusual and eye-catching scene. Start with your planting spot. Russian sage roots best from softwood cuttings taken in early summer. Its long blooming period is valued by those who seek a flower bed that remains in bloom throughout the growing season. However, it is an option and a good way to get a lot of inexpensive plants. This is where Russian sage grows best. Growing Russian sage in partly shaded locations may cause the plants to sprawl. How to Grow Russian Sage. Russian sage is a woody subshrub. There, temperatures occasionally reached 105 degrees F. Russian sage is a perennial plant that can easily be transplanted to a well-draining soil location with proper care. The flowers start off subdued and gain brilliance as they open, then gradually fade away again. Russian sage plants start blooming slowly, just hinting at their full color. Late summer and early fall is the time to plant, divide, and transplant many different perennials, shrubs, and trees including spring flowering perennials. Russian Sage (Perovskia) is a superbly-adapted shrub, suited to harsh, erratic conditions where it’s at its best. In the meantime, you will need to keep the seeds continually moist and warm. | Planting Time: Spring / Summer Wear gloves when moving, as the leaves may irritate skin. Choose a location with hot, intense sun, even as hot as the space between sidewalk and street or a strip along a driveway… Since it blooms on new wood, Russian sage is often treated as a perennial plant. Most will reach a mature size of 4 ft. (H) x 3 ft. (W). Its attractive fragrant narrow leaves emerge silver in spring, turning grayish green in color throughout the season. Russian sage, or Perovskia, is a late summer blooming perennial that bursts into flower like a cloud of blue. Choose a new planting location that is in the full sun. Russian Sage is extremely valuable for its long season of bloom in the summer garden. Once they do germinate, it can be a few years before they are large enough to begin flowering. Once established, the plants can start to spread by runners (it is in the mint family). Many varieties of Russian sage have a somewhat weeping habit. Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) Blooming for weeks from mid-summer to fall, this delicate-looking plant is a toughy that is resistant to drought, heat, pests and poor soils. Part sun conditions will cause the plant to become leggier and flop over. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) . If you are growing a Russian sage plant from seed, start indoors in early spring and transplant the seedlings outdoors after the danger of frost has passed. Wear gloves when moving, as the leaves may irritate skin. Not to be outdone by its flowers, the plant's stems and foliage make a strong statement of their own, perhaps even outstrippi… Full sun for abundant flower blooms. Plant forms a bushy upright clump of greyish leaves that are lacy and fragrant. Peonies are a good example of a plant that prefers to be transplanted in autumn if it must happen at all. The long panicles of flowers become increasingly brilliant as they open. Plants grown in Zone 4 may need some winter protection, but as long as the roots survive, your plants should send out new growth in the spring. The general rule of thumb is that spring and early summer blooming perennials should be divided & transplanted in the fall and late summer and fall bloomers in the spring. If you are planting more than one, be sure to give each plant at least 2 - 3 ft. of space. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is a sturdy, drought-tolerate plant with attractive silvery-gray foliage. Softwood cuttings... Transplanting Russian … Rust is a fungal disease that reduces plant vigor, and if it gets terrible, the plant can die. Russian sage forms a purple haze in gardens starting in mid- to late summer with its purple spires of bloom. This bush produces panicles of small, bluish-lavender flowers throughout the summer. The plant does sprawl a bit, so it can be used atop a wall to spill over. Although its branches are woody, like a shrub, the top portion of the plant may die back in cold winters. This perennial plant produces blue-violet blooms mid-summer to late fall. Russian Sage is an erect, perennial shrub that is clump-forming, 3-4' tall and 3-4' wide. Plant these wonderful perennial plants near a pool where they can be reflected for double the pleasure. My Russian sages have thrived in the full sun of southern New Mexico. For the average gardener, pruning Russian sage typically occurs on the ends of the growing season—near the start and finish. Spring often works well, and fall is one of the transplanting seasons of choice. Best Time to Transplant Trees and Shrubs. Move Russian sage immediately, preventing dry roots. A Lovely Mediterranean Border with Russian Sage and Lilies of the Nile Rich in texture and interest, this fragrant garden border features a fresh color palette of blue and purple perennial flowers. Russian sage is usually grown from container plants. The following is a guide to the dangers of growing Russian sage. 10 Foolproof Perennial Plants for the Northeast U.S. 16 Silver Foliage Plants to Brighten Your Landscape, 10 Great Shrubs With Blue or Lavender Flowers, Best Perennials That Offer Long Bloom Periods, 10 Best Deer-Resistant Shrubs for Landscaping. Cut back stems to several inches above ground in spring to stimulate good seasonal growth. The lavender-blue works especially well with whites and yellows and with other gray foliage plants. The flowers form on new wood -- branches that grew during the current season. Russian sage is hardy in USDA plant hardiness Zones 5 through 10. Marie Iannotti is an author, photographer, and speaker with 27 years of experience as a Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulture Educator and Master Gardener, 14 Best Fall-Blooming Flowers for Your Perennial Garden, 14 Best Landscape Plants With Purple Flowers. Newer hybrids are sturdier and remain upright. ... such as Oriental Poppies or Russian Sage which have long taproots. Russian sage needs full sun to perform its best. The blooms have darker markings from the upper petal into the tube. Russian Sage can be planted in either the early spring or late fall. Because of its easy care and smoky-blue flower spikes, Russian Sage plants are one of the most common perennials featured in drought-resistant landscapes. Set the Russian sage in the center of the hole, so that the plant is as deep as it was before you dug it up. Plant your Russian sage in full sun for the most dense vegetation and abundant display for flowers. The stems can be woody, so thin them to encourage new growth. Should you cut it back, transplant it or stake it? Dig a hole that is as wide and deep as the transplant's root mass. Russian sage is particularly effective in the middle or back of a bed or as a mass planting. One factor to consider, when you are thinking about the best time for transplanting big plants, is whether you will need to root prune. 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In warmer regions, deadheading may result in a second flush of bloom. The fruit is not ornamentally significant. Inside the tube is a clean white color. This plant blooms in the summer. Russian sage is a 3 to 5-foot tall perennial with purplish blue flowers and silver foliage. Russian sage is reliably hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 4-9. It will tolerate many soil types as long as it doesn't become waterlogged. Common Problems and Solutions for Growing Sage Rust. It is a good plant for fall color in the garden, to use for dried or cut flowers, or to attract butterflies. Give it a little shade, and plants tend to flop open as stems stretch for sunlight. Mar 16, 2015 - Russian sage is a perennial plant that can easily be transplanted to a well-draining soil location with proper care. Light: Full sun is recommended for Russian sage. Space holes 18 inches apart if you're planting more than one. Gardeners in all climates should prune Russian sage plants back to about 6-8 inches in the spring. Do this just as the lower leaf buds are beginning to open, but before new growth fully starts. Where to plant: Russian Sage features delicate spikes of lavender flowers rising above the foliage from early summer to mid fall. Set out new plants in early spring, spacing them 2 to 3 feet (.6-.9 m.) apart. If you are planting more than one, be sure to give each plant at least 2 - 3 ft. of space. They can become quite aggressive if you don't remove the new plants, roots and all, fairly soon. If you want a more upright plant either choose a variety bred to grow upright. Russian sage is usually grown from container plants. Carefully dig around roots, starting one foot away from the plant base. These can be planted any time during the growing season. Choose a sunny site for your plants with soil that is on the grittier side (sandier loam) to promote good drainage and ensure a successful overwintering. They will start off growing tall and bend over under the weight of the flowers. Otherwise, leave the flower heads for winter interest. Although commonly known as Russian sage, the seven known species of this plant are not native to Russia but grow in an area stretching from … Spikes of rich violet-blue flowers appear in high summer, continuing into late fall. It has an upright habit with grey-green leaves and can grow 1.5 to 4 feet tall. It is recommended you divide plants every 4 - 6 years to rejuvenate them and to cut back on their ability to spread. Common perennials featured in drought-resistant landscapes, it can be planted in either the early spring late. When the weather is cool is usually grown from container plants s at its.... 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