Scientific name: Salvia officinalis
Family: LAMIACEAE
Common names: “Sage” “common garden sage” “sauge”
Plant Type: Semi-evergreen sun-shrub
Conditions:
Zone: 5-9
Light: Full sun best – light shade
Exposure: Sheltered
Soil: Average – loam
Moisture: Well drained, dry – drought tolerant, avoid winter wet
Aesthetic:
Plant Size: 2-3′ H & W
Leaf and Stem shape: Very aromatic, finely veined, grey-green and purple leaves
Flower: Short spikes grow whorles of two-lipped, pale blue flowers all summer
Pruning: Minimal, little or no regular pruning, when harvesting a well established plant can be cut back quite hard up to 3 times in a season
Maintenance: Low, leaves can be harvested throughout the growing season, plants need to be replaced after 5 years
Landscape use: Herb garden, flower garden, cottage, container, Mediterranean garden, desert garden
Propagate: By seed and cuttings
Pests & Disease: Root rot if in wet conditions
*Deer tolerant
Comments: Anyone who has sage planted in their garden is reputed to do well in business, an excellent desert plant for cooking, and in smudging sticks, native to the Mediterranean area
Cultivars: ~AGM winners:
S. o. ‘Icterina’ – dwarf with variegated leaves
S. o. ‘Purpurascens’ – dwarf with purple young foliage
S. o. ‘Berggarton’ – grey-green foliage with light blue flowers
