Longin Russian Sage
Perovskia atriplicifolia 'Longin'
Height: 4 feet
Spacing: 24 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 3
Description:
Vigorous, woody, drought tolerant perennial with spikes of lavender-blue flowers. Finely cut, silvery-green leaves are fragrant when rubbed. Cut back hard in late winter.
Ornamental Features
Longin Russian Sage features delicate spikes of lavender flowers rising above the foliage from early summer to mid fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its attractive fragrant narrow leaves emerge silver in spring, turning grayish green in color throughout the season.
Landscape Attributes
Longin Russian Sage is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cut back to the ground in late winter before active growth resumes. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Longin Russian Sage is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
Planting & Growing
Longin Russian Sage will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
