Perovskia 'Denim 'n Lace'

Perovskia 'Denim 'n Lace': Sky Blue Lace on Salty Boulevards

Sky-blue flowers set in amethyst calyxes over silvery foliage. 'Denim 'n Lace' is the outfit that works at a barn wedding AND a gallery opening. DRESS CODE: NAILED.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Perovskia atriplicifolia (now often listed as Salvia yangii)
• Common Name: Russian Sage
• Series: A Proven Winners® perennial
• Height: 70–80 cm (28–32 in)
• Spread: 85–95 cm (34–38 in)
• Flowers: Bright sky blue, held in close-set amethyst calyxes
• Bloom Time: Midsummer to mid-fall (July to October)
• Foliage: Fragrant, silvery grey-green
• Features: Salt tolerant, fragrant, seed heads for winter interest
• Plant Patent: USPP 28,445 / Can PBR 5568

Where to Plant: Use it in the middle of a sunny border, massed along a driveway, or in a gravel or dry garden. It handles road salt, so boulevard beds are fair game, and the stems dry well for arrangements.

Companion Plants: Helenium autumnale rises behind with yellow daisies from July to October, a classic blue-and-yellow pairing. Scabiosa 'Pink Mist' fills in with pink pincushions from June to October. Euphorbia myrsinites sprawls at the very front with yellow flowers in May and June, long before the sage opens. It's a dry-garden trio that thrives in full sun.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average, well-drained soil. Skip the fertilizer. Avoid low spots and wet clay, because soggy winter soil is the most common cause of loss. Water through the first season, then only during long dry spells. Leave the stems standing for winter interest. In early spring, once new growth starts low on the stems, cut them back to about 15 cm (6 in). It rarely needs dividing.

History: 'Denim 'n Lace' was bred by Kevin Hurd at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, from seed of the Russian sage 'Lisslitt', and was selected in 2012. It was the 2020 Proven Winners National Perennial of the Year® and a Top Performer in trials at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Michigan State University.

Final Thoughts: Blooms well into fall, then leaves seed heads standing for winter. Deer and salt don't faze it. NEVER OUT OF STYLE.