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Russian sage
Habit (mature) · AnRo0002 / Wikimedia Commons · CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication)
Limited coverage
Russian sage
Salvia yangii
A woody-based mint-family perennial from the dry hills and grasslands of southwest-to-central Asia, grown for its haze of small two-lipped lavender-blue flowers tiered in branched terminal panicles above finely-dissected, aromatic gray-green foliage on stiff, square stems. It blooms from midsummer into autumn, shrugs off heat, drought, and poor soils, and is recognized for tolerating rabbits, deer, and urban conditions. Formerly classified as Perovskia atriplicifolia and not native to North America.
Review: Source-backed
Climate fit: moderate (51/100)
Structure
Pollinator
Border
Light
Full sun
Water
Low water
Mature size
36-60" tall · 36" apart
Hardy in zones
5a-9b
very cold to frosty winters
Summer heat range
Mild-Extreme
mild to extreme summers Interim Plotwright tier until the plant AHS range is authored.
Native in Illinois
No
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Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder records strong tolerance of rabbits, deer, drought, clay soil, dry soil, and urban conditions; its main fault is a tendency for the stems to sprawl or flop as summer progresses, worse in part shade or rich, moist soil.
Climate notes
Cold hardiness
Now
Zone 6b
USDA
Chicago, IL · 1991-2020 average annual coldest day
Source: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map 2023 (1991-2020 climatology) via ArcGIS FeatureServer
Well-suited
2050
Zone 7b
Plotwright
Your zone + climate-model shift · SSP3-7.0 (regional rivalry)
Well-suited
In plain terms: cold winters — coldest nights typically around -3°F.
Well-suited today and still thriving in 2050.
Heat tolerance
Loading current AHS heat-zone and plant heat-fit data at your coordinates…
Sources & citations
Cite this page
For lesson plans, articles, or research that uses this page. To cite a single upstream fact instead, use its specific source listed below.
Plotwright. (2026, May 17). Russian sage (Salvia yangii). Retrieved 2026, June 5, from https://plotwright.garden/plants/russian-sage
Sources for every fact
Every fact on this page traces to a source. 18 fields cited18 source-backed.
Missouri Botanical Garden PlantFinder
Botanical research database
Backs 17 fields
Identity
Summary
Plant type
Light
Moisture
Hardiness
Heat zone
Size
Spacing
Habit
Design roles
Seasonal interest
Growth stages
Lifecycle
Regional guidance
Success tips
Designer notes
Wikimedia Commons
Photo · CC0 1.0 — released to the public domain
Backs 1 field
Image
NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
University extension service
Community photos
The photos above are our reviewed reference set, curated for accuracy.
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