Adding Flavor with an Herb Garden: Sage

Today, I would like to introduce you to another member of my herbal “best friends” club. Sage is an herb with a sweet yet savory flavor that is a part of the vast mint family. The sage or Latin “Salvia” family, contains hundreds of plants some of which are commonly seen in greenhouses for landscaping or culinary purposes. Keep in mind, not all members of the Salvia Family are edible.

In this post, I will be introducing you to the various varieties of the common Garden Sage, not exotic Salvias like the “Pineapple Sage” I saw at the garden store last week.

Originally native to the shores of the northern Mediterranean, Sage is a world traveler that has been grown throughout much of North America and Europe for hundreds of years. Carried to North America by the earliest colonial settlers, Sage has been among our beloved herbs garden friends ever since!

In the kitchen, its flavor is loved by both home cooks and professional chefs. For my family, Sage is definitely an essential part to any good homemade chicken soup or Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. I also love the distinctive flavor of Sage sausage and Sage tea.

Sage has a long and varied history of usages. The Ancient Egyptians used Sage for fertility, while the Greeks and Romans consumed it to prevent food-borne illnesses. The Emperor Charlemagne planted Sage in Germany in 812 AD for both its medicinal and economic trade benefits. Highly prized throughout the Middle Ages, Sage received the Latin name of “officinalis” meaning “the one sold in stores.”

Although the green-leaved variety is the common one today, the boldly colored leaves of Red Sage (now called Purple Sage) were the favorite of the Middle Ages. Likewise, with the popularity of striped foliage now-a-days, I was surprised to learn that Tricolor’s unique green-purple-and-white coloration pattern is not the design of some modern breeder. It is documented as being grown in England as early as 1597!

Tricolor Sage. Traditionally was used as a culinary sage, but is now considered solely an ornamental sage due to it mildness.

By 1822 Sage had fallen from favor and was no longer considered a pharmacy herb in England, but still remained popular in gardens for culinary uses. In France it is still widely cultivated for making tea.

Sage has many interesting properties. Scientists have observed that Sage can disinfect the air and clear around 94% of airborne bacteria! When burned it releases negative ions (same as salt lamps) which have been shown to improve both health and overall mood. (By the way, electronics such as TVs, emit positive ions that have a negative effect on our health and mood, another reason to get off the couch and get to work on an herb or pollinator garden!) Due to this feature, it is commonly used in many cultures for the positive energy feeling it gives to a space. This could be part of what influenced Sage’s botanical name which means “to be saved” and comes from the Latin word “salvere.”

Common Garden Sage also called Broad-leaf Sage

Sage is used in natural beauty products for skin, hair and nails. As a facial toner it helps with tightening the skin and limiting overproduction of facial oils. For hair it improves both texture
and shine. Where the nails are concerned, it is used in the treatment of fungal infections.

Used medicinally for a wide range of issues from digestive problems to oral and brain health sage was once considered a medical cure-all. Rich in antioxidants, it may also help with lowering blood sugar as well as cholesterol levels. Sage is also known for its ability to reduce the amount of perspiration, saliva and breast milk. (So it is best for nursing mothers to limit the amount of Sage ingested daily.)

The strong fragrance and volatile oils are credited with repelling mosquitoes and carrot flies. However too much of a good thing can be dangerous, the extracted essential oil is considered toxic in concentrations over 12 drops. Since the Thujone content of some varieties is high enough for caution due to its effect on the nervous system.

Berggarten Sage

Most varieties of this hardy perennial thrive in the moderate to cool weather of USDA zones 5-8. For people living in zone 4, don’t despair—there is even a cold weather German variety of Sage called Berggarten. On the other hand some of the Golden Sage varieties like Aurea prefer the warmer ends of the spectrum and need extra shelter to survive in zones 5-6. Given the proper care, Sage can be a long-term friend lasting up to 20 years! I have an eight-year old Sage in my garden that is still growing strong. For those in the humid and hot climates of USDA zones 9-11, Sage can be grown as an annual.

I have started Sage from seed, as well as purchased plants at greenhouses. Standard broad-leafed or common Sage is gray-green leafed with bluish-purple flowers. Seed is available, but the seedlings seem to like company! The growth of my Sage seedlings was very slow when growing only a few plants. When grown in large quantities the seedlings did noticeably better, so unless you need 25 sage plants, I would recommend simply purchasing one. Similar to apples trees the various color variations like Purple Sage, Tri-color, or Icterina do not breed true from seed. So these are propagated by cutting and best purchased from a greenhouse.

Icterina Golden Sage

Sage likes dry well-drained soil and tends to be very drought tolerant. Even if wilted, this plant perks up faster than other herbs after being given water. Like many other plants, it prefers medium to full sun with a soil pH of between 6 and 7. Common Sage normally takes the form of a low shrub and tends to be wider than it is tall. For companion planting it enjoys the cheery company of strawberries.

Sage is one of the few plants that tend to improve in flavor and in taste as the leaves grow larger. Unlike many herbs, Sage leaves also retain a great flavor even after the plant flowers. (The flowering stems can be dried for use in décor similar to lavender sprigs.) However, over-fertilizing can have a negative effect on the flavor. Harvest as needed by clipping just above where two leaves meet. During the growing season a few larger harvest can be beneficial and are a perfect time to dry some for winter use. (I like to clip every flowering branch.) Unlike tender Basil, you can keep selectively harvesting Sage well into the Fall. Sage does well in containers provided you are careful not to over water and develop a mildew issue.

Sage displaying some of its foliage variations

Sage is easy to grow, displays beautiful foliage and offers a wide variety of uses. The strong silent type, Sage has much to offer his friends. So why not invite this discreet herb to join your garden? Whether it is in culinary delights, herbal décor in the house or garden, or homemade cosmetic products, I find Sage enriching my life in many ways!

En route to a more flavorful life, the Homesteading Hen