Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Turkestan Clary (Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Turkestan Clary, Vatican Pink Clary Sage, Ornamental Clary.

More about turkestan clary

About Turkestan Clary

Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica · also called Turkestan Clary, Vatican Pink Clary Sage · herb

Salvia sclarea var. turkestanica is a dramatic biennial or short-lived perennial originating from the eastern Mediterranean and central Asia, grown for its tall, candelabra-like flower spikes carrying pale pink to white tubular flowers within showy pink or white papery bracts. It forms a large basal rosette of wrinkled, strongly aromatic grey-green leaves in its first year, then flowers in year two before setting seed and dying. The most important care fact is to plant it in well-drained soil in full sun — it will not tolerate waterlogged conditions, particularly over winter. The broader Salvia genus is listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA, but individual species confirmation is absent; treat as mildly-toxic out of caution.

Cold limit: USDA 5–9 · RHS H5 (-15–35°C)

What turkestan clary's hardiness rating actually means

Yes — turkestan clary is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H5 and USDA 5–9, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. Its RHS rating of H5 means: Hardy in most of the UK and in cold winters. On the US scale that maps to USDA 5–9 — 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 −15 to −10 °C. Turkestan Clary is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

Concretely, for turkestan clary as it gets too cold:

It tolerates winter lows to about −15 to −10 °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 turkestan clary go outside or overwinter — and where?

Plant it out within USDA 5–9 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 turkestan clary can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H5 figure above.

Turkestan Clary hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is turkestan clary cold hardy?

Yes — turkestan clary is genuinely cold hardy. Rated RHS H5 and USDA 5–9, it lives outdoors all year and needs winter cold rather than protection from it. An outdoor plant. Turkestan Clary is hardy across USDA 5–9; 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 turkestan clary can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about −15 to −10 °C. Turkestan Clary is built for winter — once established it takes hard frost and snow in its stride.

What hardiness zone is turkestan clary?

Turkestan Clary is rated USDA 5–9 and RHS H5 — Hardy in most of the UK and in cold winters.

Can turkestan clary survive winter outside?

Plant it out within USDA 5–9 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 turkestan clary below its minimum temperature?

It tolerates winter lows to about −15 to −10 °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.