Phlomis Fruticosa Care: Growing Jerusalem Sage
Phlomis fruticosa, or Jerusalem Sage, is an edible, drought-tolerant landscaping option for your garden. Learn to grow it here.
Contents
Phlomis fruticosa, or Jerusalem sage, is a small, flowering, evergreen shrub. It has fragrant, oval leaves that resemble sage – hence the name. This plant has deep yellow, tubular flowers that form a cluster of around 20 blooms in short spikes during summer.
This plant is native to Italy, Cyprus, Albania, Turkey, Greece, Albania, and countries of the former Yugoslavia. It has also naturalized in parts of South West England and parts of California.
This drought-tolerant plant is a popular choice as a xeriscape plant amongst gardeners thanks to its hardy nature. If you want your garden to be a deer and rabbit free zone, then you need to grow these beautiful flowing plants in it.
Jerusalem Sage Overview
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Scientific Name
Phlomis fruticosa
Family
Lamiaceae
Zone
7-11
Height and Spread
23-47″ tall and 29-35″ wide
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Light
Full sun
Soil
Normal to sandy
Water
Low to medium
Pest and Diseases
Resistant to most, including deer and rabbit
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Phlomis fruticosa (Jerusalem sage), often grown as an ornamental plant, belongs to the plant genus Phlomis. It grows beautifully along dry, sunny borders in cottage or coastal gardens. The wrinkly, grey-green leaves of this plant are two to four inches (5-10 cm) long and are covered with fine hairs.
The tubular, buttery yellow flowers of this plant grow to one inch (3cm). The flowers and leaves of this plant remain all through winter. The striking yellow flowers attract bees and butterflies to your garden.
Jerusalem Sage Care
It is very easy to take care of Phlomis fruticosa plants. If you live in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 7 to 11, then you can easily grow them in your garden. Here’s everything you need to know about its care and maintenance.
Light & Temperature
This plant needs full sun to thrive, and it will not grow well in partial shade. Grow it in your garden beds in an east, south, or west-facing direction.
Water & Humidity
This plant prefers to grow in dry to medium moisture. Once planted, it can be fairly drought-tolerant. So, make sure to occasionally water your plant. Water it weekly if you want it to thrive. Additional water is only required when the plant is grown in hot and windy regions.
Soil
These plants can do fairly well in many types of soils. However, they prefer to grow in sandy, well-drained soils, with a neutral pH.
Fertilizer
These plants do not need any fertilizer to grow.
Propagation
You can propagate these plants by softwood cuttings in summer and by division in spring. You can also propagate Phlomis plants by seeds under proper cover in late spring.
Pruning
You can cut back the stems of your Phlomis fruticosa or Jerusalem sage after flowering to encourage additional blooms.
Troubleshooting
The low-maintenance and hardy Phlomis fruticosa is resistant to pests and diseases. However, it can face problems when grown in a shaded area. So, if you are growing this plant in your garden, make sure to grow it under full sun. Your plant will have leggy stems if you plant it in a shaded area.
Pests and Diseases
This plant is virtually free of pest and disease pressure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jerusalem Sage edible?
This plant is indeed edible; you can use it as a common sage in your meat dishes. You can also use it to garnish your pasta dishes. However, make sure to use it sparingly, as it can overpower.
How do you take care of Phlomis fruticosa?
You need to plant it in well-drained soil, under full sun, and water it occasionally.
