Phlomis fruticosa - Jerusalem Sage

The Phlomis fruticosa, also known as Jerusalem Sage, is the most well-known representative of a large Mediterranean family. This is probably because it is the easiest to cultivate. This evergreen shrub, remarkably adaptable, blooms abundantly in spring, transforming the plant into a bright yellow ball with wooly green almond foliage. Not demanding on the nature of the soil, it ages well, resists sea spray, and tolerates limestone. It will thrive in the sun, in a perfectly drained to rocky soil. It is ideal for small gardens or large dry slopes.

The Phlomis fruticosa is a plant belonging to the lamiaceae family, just like thyme and sage. It is native to the Eastern Mediterranean basin. This shrub, initially a ground cover in its juvenile stage, then forms a well-branched mass with a wider than tall habit. It reaches 1.25 m (4ft) in height and 1.75 m (6ft) in width, which allows it to effectively cover the ground. From May-June to July, this phlomis is adorned with flowers measuring 2-3 cm (1in) in diameter, which have the particularity of being grouped in a crown, regularly staggered along the branches. They are upright on numerous stems above the foliage, decorating the plant with an abundant, vibrant yellow flowering, buzzing with pollinating insects. The foliage is almond green, composed of 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4in) long, entire, elongated leaves, covered on the underside with a wooly gray down, intensified by heat and drought. In regions located in the North, it is semi-evergreen, while it is perfectly perennial under a hotter climate. This phlomis can live up to fifty years.

Quite hardy (up to -12/-15°C (10.4/5°F)) and very vigorous, the Jerusalem Sage thrives by the sea, on sandy soils, or in the scorching rock gardens of the causses. You can cultivate it in dry gardens in large rock gardens, in the company of rockroses, lavenders, rosemarys, or shrubby salvias, as well as on a sunny slope among Californian poppies. It also thrives in a border or sunny bed with Euphorbia characias for example. It can even be planted alone, in large masses, because its foliage remains decorative all year round.