Jerusalem Sage

Jerusalem Sage is a hardy herbaceous perennial originally from Turkey and Syria. With tall stalks of soft yellow whorls and fuzzy grey-green leaves, this plant adds a unique Mediterranean style to a garden. This excellent xeriscaping plant is best in dry sunny borders and mixed with other drought tolerant perennials. It is a good rock garden plant. This plant is not invasive, but its thick spreading basal rosettes block weeds making it a quick easy ground cover. The gray-green foliage is an excellent complement to its bright yellow flowers which also dry well for indoor flower arrangements.

Jerusalem Sage likes full sun but can be planted in light shade. This plant adapts to most moderately well-drained soils. It is drought-tolerant but requires additional moisture in hot summer months. Propagate by division in spring or fall. It can be grown from seed. Often the blooms are left for winter interest and the seeds as a food source for birds.

Snails and slugs are attracted to basal rosettes, but the plant quickly outgrows their damage. Leafhoppers can be a problem.

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