Characteristics:
Leathery,
gray-green leaves on slightly woody stems up to 2 feet high. The stems don't
always support the plant; it can get floppy. It produces attractive spikes
of blue-purple (only occasionally white) flowers. Growing
Information:
Plant
sage in well-drained soil and full sun. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart.
Cut back old stems in spring to encourage strong new growth to emerge. Divide
every couple of years to rejuvenate plants. Propagation:
You
can start the species Salvia officinalis from seed fairly easily. Sow the seed
indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost. You can also divide or take
cuttings from existing plants. Cultivars:
You
can buy brightly colored, but often less hardy sages. 'Tricolor' has white,
rose, and green leaves. 'Purpurea' is a purple-leaved form and 'Icterina' is
a golden variegated form. You can also grow dwarf, flop-resistant, silver-leaved
sages. Or for a high-performance garden sage, look for 'Berggarten', which
has larger-than-average round leaves and a bushy habit that stays full down
to the base of the stems. Possible
Problems:
Discourage
rots and slugs with well-drained soil. Encourage good air circulation to prevent
mildew and heat problems. Harvesting
and Using:
Sage
has the best flavor when used fresh with cheese or chicken dishes and stuffings.
Try rubbing a fresh leaf on a pork chop before grilling it. You can also use
sage for tea, in limited quantities; it tastes better if mixed with peppermint. Related
Herbs:
Clary
sage (S.
sclarea)
is a biennial or perennial with beautiful long spikes of white, purple, or
blue flowers that can reach 4 feet high. You can use the foliage for potpourri. S.
viridis
is
an ornamental annual sometimes sold as clary. It produces pink bracts that
resemble flowers and make excellent cut or dried flowers, but it has no herbal
use. Purple
sage (S.
o. 'Purpurascens')
is a hardy cultivar that grows 18 inches tall. The purple leaves are strongly
flavored and can be used in stuffings, omelets, and soups. Purple sage is also
planted as an ornamental to complement yellow blossoms in the garden. Pineapple
sage (S.
elegans)
is a perennial in zone 8; it is grown as an annual elsewhere. It has pineapple-scented
foliage and spikes of red flowers in late summer and fall. Use its leaves for
teas or potpourri, and in fruit salads. Other
related herbs include blue sage (S.
clevelandii)
and silver sage (S.
argentea). |