Common name: Garden/Common Sage
Family: Lamiaceae, Mint
Height x width: 18-24" x 18"
Growth rate: moderate
Foliage: 1-2" and half as wide with similar length petiole, opposite on square stems, elliptic, upper and lower surfaces softly pubescent, usually gray-green but variously colored; strongly aromatic
Flowers: lilic-blue in whorls, widely separated on upright raceme, summer
Hardiness: perennial, zones 4-8
Soil: well-drained
Light: sun
Pests and problems: root rots in wet soils, caterpillars, spider mites, whiteflies, aphids (insect pests, other than caterpillar, mainly indoors)
Landscape habit, uses: herb garden, containers, mid-border background plant, colored foliage types for accent, bee gardens; subshrub with erect to rounded growth habit
Culinary--pick leaves before flowering, dry slowly as in air; scatter in salads, mix in stuffing as for fatty meats as sage aids in fat digestion; combine in cooking with other strong flavors
Household--dried leaves among linens discourage insects, burn as incense to deodorize animal and cooking smells
Cosmetic--used in facial steams and astringent cleansing lotions, in rinses to condition and darken gray hair, in mouthwash and rubbed on teeth to whiten
Medicinal--leaves are used to aid digestion, for antiseptic and antifungal properties, as tea for colds and coughs, and in beer prior to use of hops; avoid prolonged use in large doses
Other interest: native to the Mediterranean; genus name from Latin salvare meaning to heal, refering to supposed properties of some species; valued for centuries, especially by Chinese, as an herb of longevity; used as a sacred herb in Roman ceremonies.
Other culture: cut back after flowering, prune frequently to promote growth and bushy habit
Propagation: seed for green leaf types (3,500 seeds per ounce), softwood cuttings of colored leaf types
Species:
clevlandii (clev-lan' dee-ii)--Blue Sage, blue flowers, native of So. California
discolor (dis' col-or)--Peruvian Sage, attractive deep purple flowers, complex scent of fruit, eucalyptus and resin
dorisiana (door-ee-see-aa' nah)--Fruit Sage, bright pink flowers, large velvety leaves scented of fruits, good for potpourris
elegans (el-e-gans') (rutilans)--Pineapple Sage, half hardy, scarlet flowers in late summer, pineapple scented leaves
fruiticosa (fruu-ti-coo' sah)--Greek Sage, trilobed leaves, easier to grow indoors, the sage of ancient Greeks depicted in frescoes from 1400 B.C.
fulgens (ful' gens)--Cardinal/Mexican Red Sage, scarlet flowers, pungent scent, 2-3' tall, infusion of leaves in Mexico used for colic
greggii (greg' ee-ii)--Autumn Sage, red to purple flowers, small fruit-scented leaves, native to Texas and Mexico
involucrata (in-vo-luu-cra' tah)--Rose Leaf Sage, showy pink-rose flowers, not aromatic, to 4' tall and sprawling
lavandulifolia (la-van-duu-li-fol' ee-ah)--Spanish/Narrow-leaf Sage, narrow leaves, balsamic flavor good for teas
lyrata (lie-rah' tah)--Lyre Leaf Sage, purple-blue attractive flowers, deeply cut leaves like dandelions, American Indians used roots for sores and early Americans used it for cancer (also called cancerweed)
miltiorrhiza (mil-tee-or-ii' zah)--Red/Chinese Sage, widely used in Chinese medicine for heart ailments, blood disorders, infections, hepatitis, and some skin diseases
officinalis (o-fish' i-nal' iss)--Dalmatian/Garden Sage, usual species seen and used
repens (ree' pens)--Creeping Sage, flowers blue, mauve or white, native of South Africa used in incense and medicinally, low
sclarea (sklair' ee-ah)--Clary Sage, biennial, lilac flowers over long period, large wrinkled leaves
viridis (vir-i-diss')--Painted Sage, brightly colored
purple or pink flower bracts, unfusion used for sore gums, used in liquors
to increase inebriating quality
Cultivars: (of officinalis)
| Cultivars | leaves | other |
| 'Aurea' | green marbled gold | |
| 'Berggarten' | broad, silvery below | silvery stems, hardy |
| 'Broad Leaf' | wide, green | seldom flowers in cool |
| 'Icterina' | gold variegated | mild flavor |
| subsp. prostratus | blue green | balsamic flavor, low |
| Purpurascens group | purple | pungent, sore throat tea |
| 'Purpurascens Variegata' | purple, cream mottled | strong, good in tea |
| 'Tricolor' | green, pink, white edges | half hardy, mild flavor |
(cultivar photos courtesy Missouri botanical gardens plantfinder)
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