Herbs > Sage Herb

Information on, uses of and how to grow sage:

Name
Salvia officinalis.

Family
Labiatae.

History
Historically Sage was used medicinally for coughs, colds and fevers and as a general tonic. A very traditional recipe is sage and onion stuffing.

Growing pattern
Evergreen shrub.

Seeds
Buy Sage Seeds (Organic and Non-Organic) from The Green Chronicle (Pay in $US, £, Euro).
Herbs, Seasonings and Spices - Buy Sage from Mountain Rose Herbs ($US).

How to grow
Sow sage seeds in early spring under glass or in late spring in the open ground. thin or plant out at a distance of 40 - 45 cm apart. cuttings can also be taken from an established plant. Do this in late spring.

Soil condition/position
Sage loves a well drained sunny position. if the plants become leggy the top leaves can be pinched out to encourage them to become bushy. Sage tends to grow quite slowly.

Appearance
Rough oval shaped blue/green leaves. Sage has spikes of purple flowers.

Uses
Sage goes well with almost all meat dishes especially slightly fatty meats like pork or goose. it is very tasty chopped finely and added to tomato dishes and it goes well with cheese. An infusion of sage is said to be good as a hair tonic.

If you have a question about Sage, have a look at our reader's question page on Sage.