Salvia yangii, previously known as Perovskia atriplicifolia (/pəˈrɒvskiə ætrɪplɪsɪˈfoʊliə/), and commonly called Russian sage,[2] is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant and subshrub.

[3][4] It has an upright habit, typically reaching 0.5–1.2 metres (1+1⁄2–4 feet) tall, with square stems and gray-green leaves that yield a distinctive odor when crushed.

Its flowering season extends from mid-summer to late October, with blue to violet blossoms arranged into showy, branched panicles.

The species has a long history of use in traditional medicine in its native range, where it is employed as a treatment for a variety of ailments.

Its flowers can be eaten in salads or crushed for dyemaking, and the plant has been considered for potential use in the phytoremediation of contaminated soil.

[7] Multiple branches arise from a shared rootstalk,[8] growing to a height of 0.5–1.2 metres (1+1⁄2–4 feet),[8][9] with occasional specimens reaching 1.5 m (5 ft).

[10] The rigid stems are square in cross-section,[10] and are covered by an indumentum formed by stellate, or star-shaped, trichomes and oil droplets.

[15] The flowering season of S. yangii can be as long as June through October,[6] although populations in some parts of its range, such as China, may bloom in a much more restricted period.

[22] More complex compounds have been isolated, some of which were first identified in this manner, including perovskatone;[23] the glycosides atriplisides A and B;[24] and atricins A and B, a pair of triterpenes that are similar to oleanane.

[5] Salvia yangii was described, under the name Perovskia atriplicifolia, by George Bentham in 1848, based on a specimen collected by William Griffith in Afghanistan,[30] now preserved at the Kew Gardens herbarium as the species's holotype.

[1] A population collected in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang, China was described as a separate species in 1987 and given the name Perovskia pamirica,[33] but was later considered synonymous with P. atriplicifolia.

In 2004, a molecular phylogenetics study based on two cpDNA genes (rbcL and trnL-F) demonstrated that Salvia is not monophyletic, but comprises three identifiable clades.

Further research combined palynological analysis of pollen grains with rbcL sequencing to provide additional support for the relationship between Perovskia and Salvia clade I.

[44] 'Filigran' reaches a height of 1.2 to 1.3 m (4 to 4+1⁄2 ft); this tall, sturdy cultivar's name is German for filigree, in reference to its lacy, fern-like foliage.

[45][46][47][48] Widely distributed across Asia in its native range, S. yangii grows in western China,[10] northwestern India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran,[49] Turkey, and parts of eastern Europe.

[52] In Pakistan's Quetta district, it is often found in association with the grass Chrysopogon aucheri,[53] and may serve as an indicator species for soils with low calcium carbonate and chloride availability.

[55] In parts of its range, such as the Harboi, these steppe ecosystems are employed as rangeland for grazing animals such as sheep and goats, although this forage is generally of poor nutritional quality.

S. yangii can serve as an important source of phosphorus and zinc,[56] despite being high in poorly-digested material such as neutral detergent fiber and lignin.

[60][61] Russian sage is a perennial plant suitable for a wide range of conditions, at least where its tendency to spread will not be a problem.

[5][65] Tolerant of both heat and cold, it is grown in North America in United States Department of Agriculture hardiness zones three through nine,[10][59] although some cultivars may be better suited than others to extremes of temperature.

Such seeds require exposure to cold for 30–160 days to germinate,[59][84] and seed-raised specimens may not preserve the characteristics of named cultivars.

[66] In the commercial greenhouse or nursery setting, its relatively large size and rapid growth can adversely affect quality or make plants more difficult and expensive to transport; the use of plant growth regulators such as chlormequat chloride and daminozide may be more cost-effective than large-scale pruning.

[86] Planting of Russian sage near wild lands has been discouraged by some gardening guides out of concern for its potential to spread,[87][88] but it is not yet considered invasive,[77] and has been suggested as a substitute for purple loosestrife for this reason.

[90] This species is considered a candidate for use in phytoremediation because of its rapid growth, tolerance for harsh conditions, and ability to accumulate toxic heavy metals from polluted soil.