Russian Sage
Encyclopedia
Perovskia atriplicifolia, Russian sage, is a herbaceous
perennial
plant that is native to central Asia in an area that includes Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Tibet. In spite of the common name, Russian sage is not in the same genus as other Salvia
s, which are commonly called "sage".
The intense fragrance of Russian sage is similar to some of the true sages. It was a relatively unknown landscaping plant until the 1990s, in spite of being mentioned by well known landscape authors such as Gertrude Jekyll
and Russell Page
.
and square in cross section. The stems and leaves give off a pungent odor when crushed or bruised. In late summer and autumn, Russian sage produces spires of small, tubular flowers of blue or lavender colour. These spires may grow up to 30 cm long, and last up to two or three months. Russian sage grows in a clump, up to 1.5 m tall with a spread of up to 60 cm, although cultivars may be smaller. It is considered a sub-shrub.
It requires full sun, but is hardy and cold tolerant. It is also tolerant of dry, chalky soils with a high pH
, salt tolerant and drought tolerant.
'Blue Spire', which has darker blue flowers, may actually be a hybrid of P. atriplicifolia and P. abrotanoides, although it is typically marketed as P. atriplicifolia.
Although research and data is limited, some identified compounds in this plant include thujone
, miltirone, oxy-miltirone, tanshinones, camphor
, limonene
, α-globulol, trans-caryophyllene
, α-humulene
, camphene
, α-pinene, β-caryophyllene
, γ-cadinene
, and α-terpinyl acetate.
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
perennial
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
plant that is native to central Asia in an area that includes Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, and Tibet. In spite of the common name, Russian sage is not in the same genus as other Salvia
Salvia
Salvia is the largest genus of plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae, with approximately 700-900 species of shrubs, herbaceous perennials, and annuals. It is one of several genera commonly referred to as sage. When used without modifiers, sage generally refers to Salvia officinalis ; however, it is...
s, which are commonly called "sage".
The intense fragrance of Russian sage is similar to some of the true sages. It was a relatively unknown landscaping plant until the 1990s, in spite of being mentioned by well known landscape authors such as Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll was an influential British garden designer, writer, and artist. She created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and the USA and contributed over 1,000 articles to Country Life, The Garden and other magazines.-Early life:...
and Russell Page
Russell Page
Montague Russell Page was a British gardener, garden designer and landscape architect.Former partner of Geoffrey Jellicoe and author of The Education of a Gardener . In this book he includes some reference to Islamic and classical gardens...
.
Description
Russian sage grows on upright, grayish white stems that are 1 to 1.3 m (3.3 to 4.3 ft) tall, with lobed, deeply notched silvery-grey leaves that are approximately 5 cm (2 in) by 3 cm (1.2 in) wide. Older stems are woody at the base, and younger stems are herbaceousHerbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
and square in cross section. The stems and leaves give off a pungent odor when crushed or bruised. In late summer and autumn, Russian sage produces spires of small, tubular flowers of blue or lavender colour. These spires may grow up to 30 cm long, and last up to two or three months. Russian sage grows in a clump, up to 1.5 m tall with a spread of up to 60 cm, although cultivars may be smaller. It is considered a sub-shrub.
It requires full sun, but is hardy and cold tolerant. It is also tolerant of dry, chalky soils with a high pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
, salt tolerant and drought tolerant.
Cultivation
Popular cultivarCultivar
A cultivar'Cultivar has two meanings as explained under Formal definition. When used in reference to a taxon, the word does not apply to an individual plant but to all those plants sharing the unique characteristics that define the cultivar. is a plant or group of plants selected for desirable...
'Blue Spire', which has darker blue flowers, may actually be a hybrid of P. atriplicifolia and P. abrotanoides, although it is typically marketed as P. atriplicifolia.
Culinary and medicinal
In its native habitat, the flowers are eaten fresh, and the leaves are smoked like tobacco for its euphoriant properties. It is also used where it grows in Pakistan and Balochistan for dysentery. In Eurasian herbalism, this plant has a long history of use as a febrifuge.Although research and data is limited, some identified compounds in this plant include thujone
Thujone
Thujone is a ketone and a monoterpene that occurs naturally in two diastereomeric forms: -α-thujone and -β-thujone. It has a menthol odor. Even though it is best known as a chemical compound in the spirit absinthe, recent tests show absinthe contains only small quantities of thujone, and may or may...
, miltirone, oxy-miltirone, tanshinones, camphor
Camphor
Camphor is a waxy, white or transparent solid with a strong, aromatic odor. It is a terpenoid with the chemical formula C10H16O. It is found in wood of the camphor laurel , a large evergreen tree found in Asia and also of Dryobalanops aromatica, a giant of the Bornean forests...
, limonene
Limonene
Limonene is a colourless liquid hydrocarbon classified as a cyclic terpene. The more common D isomer possesses a strong smell of oranges. It is used in chemical synthesis as a precursor to carvone and as a renewably-based solvent in cleaning products....
, α-globulol, trans-caryophyllene
Caryophyllene
Caryophyllene , or -β-caryophyllene, is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that is a constituent of many essential oils, especially clove oil, the oil from the stems and flowers of Syzygium aromaticum , the essential oil of hemp Cannabis sativa, rosemary Rosmarinus oficinalis, and hops...
, α-humulene
Humulene
Humulene, also known as α-humulene or α-caryophyllene, is a naturally occurring monocyclic sesquiterpene, which is a terpenoid consisting of 3 isoprene units. It is found in the essential oils of Humulus lupulus from which it derives its name. It is an isomer of β-caryophyllene, and the two are...
, camphene
Camphene
Camphene is bicyclic monoterpene. It is nearly insoluble in water, but very soluble in common organic solvents. It volatilizes readily at room temperature and has a pungent smell. It is a minor constituent of many essential oils such as turpentine, cypress oil, camphor oil, citronella oil,...
, α-pinene, β-caryophyllene
Caryophyllene
Caryophyllene , or -β-caryophyllene, is a natural bicyclic sesquiterpene that is a constituent of many essential oils, especially clove oil, the oil from the stems and flowers of Syzygium aromaticum , the essential oil of hemp Cannabis sativa, rosemary Rosmarinus oficinalis, and hops...
, γ-cadinene
Cadinene
Cadinene is the trivial chemical name of a number of isomeric hydrocarbons that occur in a wide variety of essential oil-producing plants. The name is derived from that of the Cade juniper , the wood of which yields an oil from which cadinene isomers were first isolated.Chemically, the cadinenes...
, and α-terpinyl acetate.