Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) is a popular flowering herbaceous perennial grown for its handsome gray-green foliage and beautiful late-season, lavender-blue flower spikes.

Low-maintenance and drought-tolerant, it is sometimes referred to as a sub-shrub for the sunny perennial border. A nectar source with a bracing herbal aroma, it also attracts beneficial bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. But because it’s aromatic, most “naughty” pests such as rabbits tend to leave it alone.

The normal time to prune Russian Sage is early spring or mid-spring, but it can be cut back in the fall, especially if it’s become really floppy. Shorter cultivars (such as ‘Little Spires’) are less prone to flopping.

A member of the mint family, it needs to be monitored to keep it out places where you don’t want it to spread. Pull up suckers in the early spring. Many gardeners divide the plants every four to six years to “refresh” them.

Russian Sage is another plant that has been in the process of having its name changed. Many gardeners are not happy and refuse to call it ‘Salvia yangii’.

Whatever its name, it’s a keeper for sure!