Russian salvia ( Perovskia atriplicifolia ) isa deciduous woody shrub in the mint family(Lamiaceae ) that is native to central Asia and grow as a landscaping plant in U.S. Department of Agriculture industrial plant hardiness zona 5 through 9 . Although the redolent bush is call " sage,“it is not a culinary herb . In fact , the plantcontains a chemical that can be toxicin turgid Cupid’s itch .
General Description
With silver - grizzly leaf and a generous video display of lavender - colored blossoms , Russian sage is apopular choice to quickly fill in areas along creation and fence lines . The plant is also used as a back border for low - growing evergreens and repeated peak . It requires full sun and well - drained territory , and because it is drought tolerant it is often featured in xeriscape gardens . Although Russian sage is n’t poisonous to cervid , they do shy away from it .
Chemical Composition
At least 10 compound have been isolated from Russian sage for study and most of them are relatively innocuous . Lupeol , for example , also known asfagarsterol , is a works steroid alcohol retrieve in many plants and fruit with beneficial uses .
However , Russian salvia also containsthujone , an organic compound that is chemically similar to menthol and is responsible for for the scent of the leave of absence . Thujone is suspected of get liver damageand is known to cause paroxysm in testing ground animals , but only when waste in large qualitiesover a long period of prison term .
Myths Dispelled
Thujone is also find in wormwood(Artemesia absinthium ) , a industrial plant in the daisy family cultivated in USDA zone 4 through 9 and * * a key ingredient in an alcoholic drinkable known asabsinthe . * * Between 1912 and 2007 , the U.S. imposed a Bachelor of Arts in Nursing on the manufacture , sale or significance of common wormwood in the opinion that thujone caused hallucinations . However , the beverage itself may have contribute to report card of contrary essence due to having an alcohol message lay out between 55 to 72 percent , which translates to 110 to 144 proof .
It was eventually detect that the thujone depicted object in the drink was far less than antecedently think , with some former account claiming the concentration to be as eminent as 350 atomic number 12 per liter when it was actually only 5 mg or less per liter . The U.S. nowpermits the sale of absinthe with 10 part per million ( ppm ) of thujoneor less , whilethe maximal thujone cognitive content allowed in foods from other plant informant is 25 ppm .
Commonsense Precautions
Russian salvia is not considered poisonousbecause it would take great effort to eat enough of it to get ghastly . Still , a conservative approach is sensible . The straggling , upright drug abuse of Russian sage might be attractive to youthful children , perhaps as a place to play skin and seek . If you have a Canis familiaris that loves to dog a ball , the objective of his affection could easy end up in the middle of the shrub . If either scenario utilise to your home , it might be prudent to situate Russian salvia in a stead where children or pets wo n’t become embroil in it and be tempted to sample its fragrant leave .
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