Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Phlomis purpurea
  • RHS Plants for pollinators

purple Jerusalem sage

A bushy, evergreen shrub with woolly shoots and lance-shaped, hairy, grey-green leaves up to 10cm long. Widely-spaced whorls of hooded flowers, pale purple to pink or occasionally white, appear on upright stems in summer

Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
0.5–1 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green Grey Silver
Summer Green Grey Silver
Autumn Green Grey Silver
Winter Green Grey Silver
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Lamiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Bushy
Genus

Phlomis can be herbaceous perennials or evergreen shrubs, with sage-like leaves and whorls of tubular, hooded flowers over a long period in summer

Name status

Correct

Plant range
W. Med.

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring, or propagate by seed sown at 13-18°C in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Flower borders and beds
Pruning

Pruning group 8 or pruning group 9

Pests

May be susceptible to leafhoppers

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely)

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.