Plant One Drought And Heat-Tolerant Plant For Lavender-Blue Blooms Through Fall

When seeking out plants that can hold up to heat and periods of low water, it may be hard to find a candidate that offers flowers all summer long and into fall, but Russian sage (Salvia yangii) fits the ticket. Not actually from Russia, but native to the Himalayan region as well as western China, this large plant's showy spikes of tubular blueish purple flowers and silvery foliage make it stand out in the landscape. And since Russian sage attracts wildlife, this plant is a wonderful addition for gardeners who love watching butterflies or hummingbirds. You can also attract bees to your yard with this drought-tolerant garden favorite.

These highly fragrant plants are members of the mint family, and related to garden sage and pineapple sage. Russian sage is drought resistant, heat tolerant, and low maintenance. It reaches up to 5 feet tall with a 4-foot spread, and presents an upright, bushy shape with a purplish-blue glow in the landscape. When you successfully grow Russian sage plants, these long-bloomers add color to gardens from mid-summer through fall.

Perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, Russian sage needs full sun and excellent drainage, making this plant a great option for sandy soils. These lavender-blue flowered plants will need extra water in the first weeks or months after transplanting, but once they're established, they thrive in soils that are dry or have a medium moisture content. Be sure not to overwater these drought tolerant plants, though, or you will end up with a yellowing Russian sage plant.

This outstanding species can be used in diverse ways as a drought-tolerant element in the yard to provide fall blooms. Its haze of bluish flowers and silvery foliage looks gorgeous in mass plantings, and its tall stature makes it a natural in cottage gardens. And, this plant's heat tolerant nature means that it also works wonderfully in rock gardens or bordering sidewalks and walkways – locations that tend to heat up under the hot summer sun. Plant Russian sage among some other fall-blooming favorites, like goldenrod or asters, for a breathtaking autumnal garden display.