Phlomis fruticosa is a plant we wouldn't garden without. For year-round interest it's hard to beat this felt-like, grey-leaved, drought-loving perennial/sub-shrub from the Transcaucasia (Italy west to Georgia). The dense 30" tall x 5' wide clumps of evergreen (or should I say ever-grey) finger-shaped, heavily-textured foliage provide a nice foil for the whorls of yellow, snapdragon-like flowers that top the plant in late April/May. Phlomis fruticosa will produce a sporadic repeat flowering in late summer. Jerusalem sage is quite durable, deer-resistant, and easy to grow, but prefers a well-drained site. Asian cultures use the minty, flavorful leaves to brew a tea for treating digestive issues, as well as for an herbal flavoring, for potpourri, and to serve as lamp wicks. Jerusalem sage flowers also attract beneficial pollinators such as bees and butterflies.
