Perovskia 'Prime Time'
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Perovskia 'Prime Time': Russian Sage That Refuses to Flop
Densely packed blue spikes in dusky purple calyxes, on an upright plant that keeps its act together all season. 'Prime Time' is ready for its close-up EVERY SINGLE NIGHT OF THE WEEK.
Plant Characteristics:
- Botanical Name: Perovskia atriplicifolia (now often listed as Salvia yangii)
- Common Name: Russian Sage
- Height: 75–90 cm (30–36 in)
- Spread: 60–75 cm (24–30 in)
- Flowers: Blue to lavender-purple, densely packed in dusky purple calyxes
- Bloom Time: Midsummer to early fall (July to September)
- Foliage: Fragrant, grey-green, slightly cut leaves on an upright plant
- Features: Salt tolerant, fragrant, good for cut and dried flowers
- Plant Patent: USPP 34,304
Where to Plant: Plant it in the middle of a sunny border, repeat it down a long bed, or mass it on a hot slope, where its upright form gives structure. It's salt tolerant, so it's useful near driveways and roadside beds. The stems hold up well cut or dried, so it suits a cutting bed too.
Companion Plants: Delphinium New Millennium™ 'Double Innocence' opens white spikes at 100 to 130 cm in June and July, before the sage starts. Eryngium 'Blue Hobbit' brings small blue sea holly heads at the front from June to August. Aster 'Pink Crush' finishes with pink asters in September and October. That gives this sunny spot colour from early summer to mid-fall.
Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average, well-drained soil. Don't enrich the soil or fertilize much. Keep it out of wet, heavy clay, since winter wet is what Russian sage dislikes most. Water through the first season, then only during long droughts. Leave stems up through winter. In spring, after new growth appears near the base, cut back to about 15 cm (6 in). It doesn't need regular dividing.
History: 'Prime Time' was bred by Hans Hansen at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan, from a 2017 cross between an unreleased hybrid and 'Sage Advice', and selected in 2020. It was chosen for its dense, erect stems, rich flower colour and long bloom, and introduced as an upgrade to 'Rocketman'.
Final Thoughts: Snip some for a dried bouquet, leave the rest for the hummingbirds. Deer and drought don't stand a chance. HIGHEST RATINGS IN THE TIME SLOT.
