A low-water, cold-hardy perennial with a long lavender-blue bloom, if you give it sun and sharp drainage.
Get a Free Planting PlanYes. Russian sage is one of the easier flowering perennials for the High Desert. WUCOLS rates it Low water for our region, it is hardy to USDA zone 4 or 5, and it blooms lavender-blue from midsummer into fall. It needs full sun, sharp drainage, and a hard cutback each spring.
Top photo: Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień (Nova), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Perennial · Salvia yangii (formerly Perovskia atriplicifolia) · Also called Perovskia, Perovskia atriplicifolia, Salvia yangii · Native to Central Asia, the Himalayas and western China
| Russian Sage at a glance in the High Desert | |
|---|---|
| Type and size at maturity | Woody-based perennial, 3 to 5 ft tall and 2 to 4 ft wide [2] |
| Water once established | Low (WUCOLS IV, Region 5, High and Intermediate Desert: L) [4] |
| Sun | Full sun. Stems flop more in part shade [2] |
| Cold hardiness | USDA Zones 4 to 9 (the Missouri Botanical Garden lists 5 to 9) [1] |
| Soil | Dry to medium, well-drained soil; sharp drainage is especially important. Tolerates clay and dry soil [2] |
| Bloom | Lavender-blue flower spikes, July to October [2] |
| Evergreen or deciduous | Dormant in winter [3] |
| Pets | Not listed by the ASPCA; check with your vet [5] |
| Wildlife | Flowers attract bees and other insects [1] |
| Rabbits and deer | Tolerates rabbits and deer [2] |
| Where it fits | Massed plantings, a specimen in small spaces, or a long divider row [1] |
You will see this plant sold under two botanical names. For years it was Perovskia atriplicifolia. Botanists have since moved it into the sage genus, and University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension now lists it as Salvia yangii, formerly Perovskia atriplicifolia. Nursery tags and older books still use Perovskia, and many named varieties, such as ‘Blue Spire’ and ‘Little Spire’, are sold under either name. It is the same plant.
Despite the common name, it is not from Russia. UW Extension says it is native to Central Asia, including Afghanistan and Pakistan, and Tibet, at elevations up to 8,000 feet. It was named for a Russian official. It is in the mint family, and the Missouri Botanical Garden notes the gray-green leaves are aromatic when crushed.
Cold is no issue. UW-Madison Extension rates Russian sage hardy in zones 4 to 9, and the Missouri Botanical Garden lists 5 to 9. The Victor Valley is zone 8b, with average coldest nights of 15F to 20F and records near 0F, so even the more careful rating clears our winters by a wide margin. The plant goes dormant in winter, per the county’s Guide to High Desert Landscaping, and comes back from the woody base. See our frost dates and growing zones guide.
For heat, the county guide lists it among plants suited to the High Desert climate with a long summer bloom. We did not find a university source that gives a heat rating. It flowers through the hottest months (July to October, per the Missouri Botanical Garden), which covers Victorville’s summer highs near 97F.
Wind is the weak spot, and it comes from the plant’s habit, not a source rating. Both UW Extension and the Missouri Botanical Garden say the stems tend to flop or sprawl as summer goes on. High Desert wind from March into June can make that worse. Full sun helps (plants in part shade flop more), and so does planting it among sturdier shrubs that hold it up, as UW Extension suggests.
The Missouri Botanical Garden says to grow it in average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun, and that sharp drainage is especially important. It tolerates clay and dry soil. UW Extension warns that plants will rot if the soil stays too moist. In the High Desert, the drainage problem is usually caliche, a hard layer that holds water in the planting hole. Dig a test hole, fill it, and if water is still there the next day, break through the layer or plant on a mound. Our High Desert soils guide covers this.
WUCOLS IV rates Russian sage Low for Region 5, the High and Intermediate Desert. That is one step above the lowest category, Very Low.
UW Extension says to water regularly during the first growing season to build a deep, extensive root system, and that established plants tolerate drought very well. In practice, that means steady drip the first summer, then tapering off, with deep, less frequent soaks once plants are established. With only about 5.57 inches of rain a year in Victorville, it will still want some summer water to keep flowering. Put it on the same drip zone as other low-water shrubs, and keep it off the lawn sprinklers. Our irrigation guide covers zoning.
Because UW Extension says plants rot when the soil stays too moist, water deeply and less often rather than a little every day. Check the soil a few inches down before the next cycle.
UW Extension says Russian sage has essentially no disease or insect problems once established. The two things to manage are rot in wet soil and floppy stems.
Prune once a year. The Missouri Botanical Garden says to cut plants back almost to the ground in late winter to early spring as soon as new growth appears. UW Extension says to leave the old stems through winter and cut them to about a foot in spring, so plants do not get woody. Either way, wait for spring. The county guide adds that trimming off old flowers keeps the bloom going longer through summer.
Where to use it: UW Extension suggests massing it, using it as a specimen in small spaces, or planting a long row as a divider. The silvery foliage looks at home with gravel and boulders in a rockscape. Pair it with lavender, blue fescue or deer grass. UW Extension notes it combines well with ornamental grasses. More layout ideas are in our xeriscaping guide.
Pets: Russian sage is not on the ASPCA toxic or non-toxic plant lists. That does not confirm it is safe, so check with your vet.
Cut old stems down to about a foot, or almost to the ground, as new growth appears. Fertilize lightly before new growth, as UW Extension suggests, and restart drip.
Water deeply but not often once established, letting the soil dry between soaks. Trim spent flowers to extend the bloom, per the county guide.
Flowers run into October. Taper water as nights cool. Early fall is a fine time to plant.
Plants are dormant. Leave the old stems standing until spring, and water only during long dry spells.
Yes, once established. WUCOLS IV rates it Low water for the High and Intermediate Desert, and UW-Madison Extension says established plants tolerate drought very well. Water it regularly the first season.
UW-Madison Extension rates it hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9, and the Missouri Botanical Garden lists 5 to 9. Both are far colder than Victor Valley winters.
It is not listed by the ASPCA as toxic or non-toxic. That does not confirm it is safe, so check with your vet if your dog chews plants.
Salvia yangii. It was long sold as Perovskia atriplicifolia, and many nurseries still use that name. Both refer to the same plant.
Early spring after the last frost is best, around mid-March to mid-April in Victorville. Early fall also works. Plant in full sun in fast-draining soil.
We checked every number on this page against the public sources below. If a rule or date changes, the agency page is the final word.
Monarch designs and installs rockscape, drip irrigation and drought-tolerant plantings across the High Desert. We will check sun, wind and soil on your lot and tell you where a plant will do well and where it will struggle.
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