Phlomis fruticosa explained

Phlomis fruticosa, the Jerusalem sage, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to Albania, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Turkey, and countries of the former Yugoslavia.

It is a small evergreen shrub, up to 10NaN0 tall by 1.50NaN0 wide. The sage-like, aromatic leaves are oval, 5–10 cm (2-4ins) long, wrinkled, grey-green with white undersides, and covered with fine hairs. Deep yellow, tubular flowers, 3 cm in length, grow in whorls of 20 in short spikes in summer.^[1]

The specific epithet fruticosa means "shrubby".^[2]

It is popular as an ornamental plant, and has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.^{[3] [4]}

As a garden escape, it has naturalised in parts of South West England.^[5]

It is listed as deer resistant, hardy in zones 7 to 11, and tolerant of a range of soil types.

See also

• Phlomis russeliana – the similar-looking Turkish sage also sometimes called Jerusalem sage

References

• • Michigan State University entry
• Craker, L. E. & J. E. Simon, eds. 1986–1987. Herbs, spices, and medicinal plants, 2 vols.
• Davis, P. H., ed. 1965–1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
• Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984–. Med-Checklist.
• Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening.
• Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934–1964. Flora SSSR.
• Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964–1980. Flora europaea.

Notes and References

1. Book: RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. 2008. Dorling Kindersley. United Kingdom. 978-1405332965. 1136.
2. Book: Harrison, Lorraine. RHS Latin for gardeners. 2012. Mitchell Beazley. United Kingdom. 9781845337315. 224.
3. Web site: RHS Plant Selector - Phlomis fruticosa. 6 February 2021.
4. Web site: AGM Plants - Ornamental . July 2017 . 76 . Royal Horticultural Society . 25 April 2018.
5. Book: Trees and shrubs hardy in the British Isles, edn 8, III. N-Rh. 1976. John Murray.