Common sage
Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is a small evergreen subshrub, with woody stems, grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers that grows in southern Europe and the Mediterranean region.
| Common sage | |
|---|---|
| |
| flowers | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Division: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | S. officinalis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Salvia officinalis | |
It is much cultivated as a kitchen and medicinal herb, and is also called Garden sage, Kitchen sage, and Dalmatian sage. In southern Europe similar species are sometimes cultivated for the same purpose, and may be confused with the common sage.
It likes warm, quite dry soil with some shade but it will grow in almost any garden soil. It can live through winter but after three to five years the plant is past its best and should be replaced.
Common Sage Media
- SalviaofficinalisCloseup
Sage leaves are covered with fine hairs called trichomes
Painting from Koehler's Medicinal Plants (1887)
The top side of a sage leaf – trichomes are visible
The underside of a sage leaf – more trichomes are visible on this side
A specimen of Salvia officinalis grown in a flowerpot
Sage seeds are very small and almost spherical in shape
Salvia officinalis Berggarten
Salvia officinalis 'Icterina'. Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid.
Un cespo di salvia purpurea
.jpg)
Related pages
References
- The Herb Society of America New Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses,i like herbs Deni Bown (New York: DK, 2001)
- A Modern Herbal Mrs M Grieves (Surrey, UK: Merchant, 1973)