Garden sage is one of the oldest and most popular culinary herbs in
the world. Americans use it in turkey and dressing on
Thanksgiving, Russians use it when baking a goose, the English put it
in cheese, and where would Italian bean dishes be without it? In
addition to flavoring our food for centuries, sage has also known a
long career as a medicinal herb. The word sage comes from the
Latin salvere meaning "to be saved" or "to be in
good health." In the Middle Ages it was used as a common
cure to anything that ailed you, not unlike aspirin. A sacred
herb to the ancient Romans, it was believed to bestow wisdom and
improve memory, and gathered with ceremony.
Whether used as a culinary, ornamental, or medicinal herb, sage
deserves a prominent spot in all herb gardens. Like most
silver/gray plants however, it can be somewhat challenged by our
humid, Southern climate. Given the proper care, sage will flourish and
provide you with a decorative, tasty addition to your perennial border
or garden.
Sage requires plenty of sun, and a good quality, well-drained
alkaline soil. Air circulation is very important—both around and
inside the plant, especially during the summer months. This
means, when your plant really starts to grow and fill out, prune out
some of the inner and lower branches to allow air to flow through the
plant. Otherwise, the leaves can form a canopy, trapping
moisture and making the plant prone to fungus or mildew. In general,
keep tips of branches pinched to promote bushy growth.
Bergartten Sage is a great
culinary and ornamental variety. Its large leaves make it a beautiful
planting companion to dark leaved plants such as bronze fennel or
Purple Mayan peppers, or finer leaved lavenders or any blue-flowered
plant. Flavorwise, it is one of the best culinary varieties, its large
leaves lending themselves well to chopping and dicing for recipes, or
frying whole for sage fritters. This variety gets to be about
15–18 tall and wide, growing into a nice silvery mound. As with all
sages, give it plenty of sun and good air circulation. Back to Top
Golden Sage
has a slightly
more mild taste than Bergartten or Holt's, and is less tolerant of the
extreme summer temperatures, making it an ideal cool season
plant. Its beautiful gold and lime green variegation are
beautiful mixed with pansies and violas (especially Baby Lucias!), or
other cool season annuals. Back to Top
Holt's Mammoth Sage
is another a great culinary variety. It has a very similar flavor to
Bergartten Sage, but has narrower, somewhat smaller leaves and more of
a sprawling growth habit. Back to Top
Salvia elegans /
Perennial
This sage really
does have a fabulous pineapple scent! It grows into a large (4 x 4') semi-woody
shrub with light green velvety leaves. In the late summer and fall, it is
covered with brilliant red flowers that attract hummingbirds. Grow it in full
sun in well-drained soil; periodically pinch back to keep growth bushy and
fresh. Use leaves and flowers to garnish or flavor drinks, fruit salads, jams
and jellies. Back to Top
Purple
Sage
Salvia officinalis 'Purpurea' /
Perennial
Similar flavor to Bergartten.
Beautiful, aromatic purple leaves.
Tricolor
Sage
Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’
/ Perennial
Aromatic foliage with
pink, white and purple streaks. Color is more pronounced in cooler
months.
