Jerusalem Sage
Phlomis fruticosaCharacteristics | |
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Category | Shrub |
Size | 4' x 4' |
Flower Color | Bright Yellow |
Flower Season | Late Spring through Early Summer |
Exposure | Full Sun to Light Shade |
Water | |
Growth Rate | |
Hardiness | 23°F |
Notes: |
Description
Jerusalem sage is a fast-growing, warm-season plant that reaches three to four feet tall with an equal spread. The semi-woody evergreen plant has fuzzy, grayish-green, textured leaves and bright yellow, wooly blossoms in late spring through early summer. The blooms form a cluster of rings around the stems on a vertical stalk arranged with one flower on top of another, producing an interesting effect. Its flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Use it in an herb garden as an accent, in raised planters or containers, or in vegetable gardens. The flower heads and seeds can be dried and used in flower arrangements. Jerusalem sage looks nice when combined with Salvia greggi, Salvia leucantha, and Salvia clevelandii. It is native to the Mediterranean regions of Turkey and Syria but has been naturalized in the United States.
Maintenance
This plant likes full sun to light shade and becomes leggy if planted in deep shade. It prefers adequate irrigation and well-draining soil. Jerusalem sage is also drought-tolerant and can be planted in hot, exposed areas of the landscape. This attractive plant is hardy to about twenty-three degrees Fahrenheit. It should be heavily pruned in late winter and given applications of ammonium phosphate fertilizer in spring.