Russian Sage Growing Stages

Spring and Summer Planting

• Russian sage is a perennial shrub that keeps reappearing each spring. If propagating it from root softwood cuttings, plant in the early spring, while summer planting is fine for semi-ripe cuttings. Russian sage can be grown in a container, but if you are planting more than one specimen, allow at least 2 to 3 feet between each plant. The following year, as the plant reemerges, cut back new growth to the ground level in the early spring, which allows new growth to fully form.

June Pruning

• The Alabama Cooperative Extension recommends pruning in June so that the stalks can hold the flowers in an upright position. Failure to prune can lead to stalks that excessively flop over. The Colorado State Extension recommends pruning mature shrubs no more than 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide to prevent crowding.

Bloom Period

• The blooming period for Russian sage is longer than most sage varieties, with a July through October season. The flowers of the Russian sage are lavender and blue in a whorled, two-lipped tubular shape.

Fall and Winter

• Russian sage thrives through fall and winter, as long as it is planted in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9. As the plant begins to reemerge in the spring, cut away the base stems, which encourages new growth.