Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Golden-Leaved Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis chrysophylla)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Golden-leaved Jerusalem sage, Golden Jerusalem sage, Lebanese phlomis.

More about golden-leaved jerusalem sage

About Golden-Leaved Jerusalem Sage

Phlomis chrysophylla · also called Golden-leaved Jerusalem sage, Golden Jerusalem sage · flowering

Phlomis chrysophylla is a distinctive, medium-sized evergreen shrub native to Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, where it grows on rocky limestone slopes and in dry shrubland at moderate elevations. Its leaves are notably golden-yellow when young, ageing to grey-green with a dense felt of star-shaped hairs, while whorls of soft yellow flowers appear in early summer. Sharp drainage and a sunny, sheltered position are critical, particularly in cooler climates where winter wet causes rapid decline. Phlomis chrysophylla is not listed on the ASPCA database and is assigned a mildly-toxic classification pending confirmed safety data.

Cold limit: USDA 8-11 · RHS H4 (-5 to 35°C)

Watch for — Waterlogging and crown rot: The most common cause of failure; soils that hold moisture in winter rapidly cause stem base and root rot. Plant on a raised mound or in a raised bed to ensure the crown remains dry.

What golden-leaved jerusalem sage's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — golden-leaved jerusalem sage is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H4 and USDA 8-11, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H4 means: Hardy in an average winter across much of the temperate world. On the US scale that maps to USDA 8-11 — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −10 to −5 °C. Golden-Leaved Jerusalem Sage is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for golden-leaved jerusalem sage as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −10 to −5 °C once established.
Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root.
First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.

Can golden-leaved jerusalem sage go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 8-11 and it overwinters with little or no help.
It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy.
The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when golden-leaved jerusalem sage can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H4 figure above.

Golden-Leaved Jerusalem Sage hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is golden-leaved jerusalem sage cold hardy?

Yes — golden-leaved jerusalem sage is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H4 and USDA 8-11, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Golden-Leaved Jerusalem Sage is hardy across USDA 8-11; it belongs in the ground or a frost-proof container, not on a windowsill, and many types actively need a cold winter to perform.

What is the minimum temperature golden-leaved jerusalem sage can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −10 to −5 °C. Golden-Leaved Jerusalem Sage is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is golden-leaved jerusalem sage?

Golden-Leaved Jerusalem Sage is rated USDA 8-11 and RHS H4 — Hardy in an average winter across much of the temperate world.

Can golden-leaved jerusalem sage survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 8-11 and it overwinters with little or no help. It does not want to come indoors — a warm winter room actually weakens a hardy plant by denying it dormancy. The real risks in its range are waterlogging, wind-rock on young plants, and a late hard frost on new growth — not ordinary winter cold.

What happens to golden-leaved jerusalem sage below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −10 to −5 °C once established. Below its rated zone, the visible damage is browned or blackened top growth and, in the worst case, a killed crown or root. First-year, newly planted, or container-grown specimens are noticeably less hardy than established garden plants — the roots are exposed.