Herb, Sage
486 in stock
Quick Overview
HERB, Sage –
Salvia officinalis
FULL SUN Native to the northern Mediterranean, culinary Sage has been cultivated for thousands of years and was brought to the US in the 1600s by colonists. The wild plant native to the US is not edible. The 12-24 in. plant is valued for culinary, medicinal and ornamental applications. Plant as soon as the ground can be worked in the spring and the danger of frost has passed. Rows should be 18 in. apart. When seedlings are 2 in. high, thin, leaving 18 in. between plants.
| Type | Spacing | Planting Depth | Days to Germination | Maturity |
| Perennial | 18 in. | 1/2 in. | 7-10 | 90 |
Herb, Sage
One of the most significant culinary herbs grown today, throughout history Sage has been prized as a plant associated with immortality and salvation. The Chinese so valued the herb that they traded their precious tea for sage in a ratio of 4 Chinese teas for 1 Sage. In Yugoslavia, even today, hundreds of acres of Sage are harvested like grain crops, 3X per year, for food.
Other cultures, specifically the American Indians, used Sage primarily as a medicinal herb. They used the herb as a leafy toothbrush, made salves with bear grease to cure skin sores and made infusions to bathe in.
Scientific research has verified that Sage oil has astringent, irritant and antiseptic properties. Curiously, the oils also evidence estrogenic characteristics which explains the herb’s ability to dry up nursing milk.
When used for culinary purposes Sage complements liver, beef, pork, veal, poultry,fish, duck and goose.
As a companion plant, sage enhances the growth of cabbage, carrots, strawberries, tomatoes and Sweet Marjoram, but should not be planted near onions.
