Jerusalem Sage Phlomis fruticosa

The Jerusalem Sage is a native of Albania, Cyprus, East Aegean Island, Greece, Italy, Crete, Sardinia, Sicily, Transcaucasia, Turkey, and former Yugoslavia. It is a broadleaf evergreen, mounding, shrubby, and pubescent perennial. In USDA Zones 8-10, it will remain evergreen and in Zones 5-7 it is deciduous. The plant is a member of the Mint family or Lamiaceae. Its genus name Phlomis is Greek and translated means flame. This may be referring to the fact that in ancient times its leaves were used as lamp wicks. The species name, fruticosa, means shrubby and short, and this refers to its growth habit. The plant's height varies from 2-4 feet and spread 3-5 feet.

It is a low maintenance plant with medium to rapid growth and prefers full sun to partial shade. If planted in the shade, it will have unattractive leggy stems. Well-drained dry to moist soil is required and it is adaptable to various soil types. The plant is propagated by softwood cuttings during the summer, root ball division in the spring, or sowing seeds in late spring.

The leaves are wrinkled, gray-green in color, and have a soft wooly feel. The undersides of the leaves are white and are covered with fine hairs much like Lamb's Ear. The unscented flowers bloom in late spring to late summer and are a bright golden yellow. The flowers appear on spikes along the upper half of the stem tips and appear layered or tiered similar to the snapdragons. The flower's nectar attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. The plant is deer resistant, rabbit resistant, and drought tolerant.

This is a good selection for a border, container, cottage garden, cut or dried flower garden, or mass planting. The plant reportedly has no serious pests or diseases except for leafhoppers.