IN THE KITCHEN: The flowers and foliage make good bouquets and can perfume the entire house with their clean, herbal scent. Its two-lipped, tubular flowers appear in summer through fall. After regular watering for the first year, it is very drought tolerant. Sometimes we gotta stop and smell the Russian sage — it appears the Europeans are better at it than the Americans. ... Meadow Sage – The earthy sage fragrance of this spring bloomer seems to please everybody’s sense of smell. The leaves and flowers can be steeped to make tea. Please support high-quality local journalism. You will also need to prune out underground runners. The curious thing, in addition to the name confusion, is that America has other close relatives (members of the same genus, congeners) of the European sages and Europe has other congeners of the American sages. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). Encompassing oils like Wild Orange, Lime, Lemon, and Bergamot, citrus aromas are usually easy to identify. Probably settlers called the American plants sages because the leaves of many species smell similar to garden sage. Several Russian sage varieties are available on the market. It is similar in resemblance, with square stems and opposite blue-green leaves. Russian Sage Care Must-Knows They smell fruity and clean, with a bit of a sour bite. Sage belong to the mint family, and they emit a menthol sensation that brings a cooling feeling as it travels down your nasal cavity. Expect bloom from early summer to fall. You can transplant them easily if there are roots attached. The straight species grows 3 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide. The Flavor of Fall. PLANTING: Plant in full sun. My Russian sages have done very well with mulches and no additional fertilizing. When it was mid-Spring, just before the weather stopped dropping below 32 F at night, the sturdy Russian sage pushed up out of the soil. You can gently rub a sage leaf between your fingers and sniff to get the scent. That is also what I thought. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Q: I am growing Russian sage and I wonder if it can be eaten. Russian sage is not fussy about soil pH. (To me, burning White Sage just smells like burning White Sage—but the similarity is something to keep in mind if you’re going to use it in public.) Use it in a mixed bed with pinks, yellows and whites. All parts of the Russian sage plant are quite fragrant when rubbed or crushed. Citrus notes are most often top notes. We planted Russian Sage last year. -- MJ. The best blooms emerge from the new growth. Russian sage has cool foliage. Foliage & Branching Habits: Russian Sage is also in the mint family, just like Salvia. 'Pozo Blue' is a hybrid between Purple Sage and Cleveland Sage. Depending on the location of the plant, where the foliage is borne, and the variety, the leaf edges may have a serrated or wavy edge. That pungent sage-like smell makes them a good deer resistant perennial. Most sage plants grown for culinary purposes have a strong scent compared to ornamental or medicinal purposes. If you rub the leaves between your fingers they emanate a strong yet fantastic smell. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Grape scented sage doesn’t smell like grapes, but rather more like freesia. The plant does sprawl a bit, so it can be used atop a wall to spill over. 'Little Spire' grows to just 2 feet tall. Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is a stunner in my garden. It is a late blooming plant that attracts hummingbirds. When used in aromatherapy, clary sage oil can help … Some people describe it as a sage-like smell, sometimes mixed with lavender scents as well. Catmint – Whether or not you like cats, ... To keep Russian sage in check pull up young runners in the spring. The effect on each person can vary greatly depending on your body's individual reaction, but generally it is not considered toxic . ( Log Out /  Vicks is definitely the right term for it - it has been traditionally been used for treating coughs, colds and also in cooking (though it tastes a bit strong for my likin The cool stuff doesn’t end there! Dark blue flowers cover its foot-tall stalks. Longin Russian Sage From a distance, viewers may think Russian sage is a lavendula species because of its gray-green foliage and lavender haze of flowers. Average, well-drained garden soil is sufficient. All rights reserved (About Us). PRUNING: Pruning is important to maintain the best flowering. Change ), This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 14th, 2013 at 11:47 am and tagged with, Europeans are better at it than the Americans, Directions to Whitestone Hill, North Dakota, Fresh Mojo: Life in Western North Dakota During an Oil Boom, Rhubarb & Venison: A North Dakota Food Blog, The New Archaeology of the Mediterranean World. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. No need to deadhead, plant continue to blooms. Although the leaves may smell like those of culinary garden sage (Salvia officinalis), Russian sage is technically not a sage. I use the sweet-tasting flowers whole in salads but mince the leaves, which are good but assertive. Russian sage can provide a pretty border to deter hungry deer from your veggies and plants. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Russian sage's uses are many, with the plants frequently found anchoring both border and wildlife gardens. And it smelled nothing like the Russian sage plant that grew in my yard. Butterflies and bees love Russian sage, so plant it where they can be enjoyed. Why? Both Russian Sage and Lemon Verbena are known for cooking, but they have distinct smells that keep mosquitoes away. Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is a stunner in my garden. This hardy perennial will grow up to five feet tall, boasting fragrant and lovely lavender-blue flowers in the spring. • Plant at the same depth it was in the pot. Featuring clouds of tiny light blue flowers on spikes and finely dissected, fragrant, gray-green leaves, Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) works well for perennial borders, mixed borders, wildlife gardens and other landscape areas. For example, sage is commonly used to flavor stuffing. Admired for its silvery gray, fragrant foliage as much as its lavender-purple flowers, Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) makes a bold statement in the garden. Russian sage has household uses, as well, and is often used in dried flower arrangements and when making fragrant potpourris. Sometimes we gotta stop and smell the Russian sage — it appears the Europeans are better at it than the Americans. The most-used sage types have antimicrobial properties. ‘Blue Spire’ Russian sage tends to grow more upright than the species with stems that reach 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. Russian sage has fragrant foliage and attracts hummingbirds, honey bees, and butterflies. The crushed leaves smell great, and I was delighted when its bare winter sticks sprouted new growth this spring. The smell of White Sage is so strong that just rubbing its fuzzy leaves between your fingers is enough to release the scent. • Propagating by seed is slow and the seedlings seem less robust. ( Log Out /  'Longin' grows stiffly upright, for more formal applications. It didn't grow much, and it does lean toward the sun, as killerdaisy said. That is also what I thought. 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