Salvia officinalis (Sage)

Common name(s): common sage, garden sage, golden sage, kitchen sage, true sage, culinary sage, dalmatian sage, broadleaf sage, echter salbei, adacayi, ching-chieh, mariyamiya, sa er wei ya, salbei, salie, salva, salvia, sauge commune, sauge officinale, sauge, shalfey

Identify | Cultivate | Harvest

Environment

Origin: Mediterranean, northern Africa, Zone 5-10

Salvia officinalis grows in dry scrubland, woodlands and meadows or along the coast and in the mountains, appearing from sea level to an elevation of around 1,150 m (3,772 ft). Cultivated worldwide for it has edible and medicinal properties, naturally found in the Mediterranean region from northern and central Spain to northern Africa and Asia minor but has naturalised in most parts of the world.

Identification

Taxonomy: Plantae > Tracheophytes > Angiosperms > Eudicots > Asterids > Lamiales > Lamiaceae> Salvia > Salvia officinalis

Height: 0.6 - 0.8 m (2 - 3 ft)

Width: 1 m (3 ft)

Foliage Type: Evergreen

Habit: Upright-bushy

Bark Type: Soft wood

Leaf: The grey-green leaves are oblong to ovate, 65mm - 100 mm (4 in) long by 20 mm (¾ in) wide. They have an acute apex and the quilted textured upper surface is covered in fine silvery hairs. They have an entire to crenulate margin with a short petiole and when crus hed the leaf is aromatic. 

Flower: The odourless pubescent labiate flowers are 12mm - 15 mm (2-3 in) long, a dark purplish calyx with pointed lobes and a blue, pink or white 2-lipped corolla. The flowers are arranged in a terminal or axillary raceme that is held above the foliage on a leafy scape appearing during midsummer.

Flower Time: Dec - Feb (SH) | Jun - Aug (NH)

Fruit: The grey-brown edible fruit is a tiny 3mm long nutlet which develops inside the calyx and produces viable seed.

Fruit Time: Feb - Mar (SH) | Sep - Oct (NH)

Cultivar Alternatives

'Aurea'

This dwarf cultivar grows 300 mm high to 450mm wide; with oblong yellow leaves, producing purplish blue flowers during early summer.  Ideal For Patio Pots Or Small Gardens.

'Berggaten'

This Low Growing Perennial Has A Larger Grey Green Leaves And Produces Blue Flowers In Racemes That Appear During Early Summer.

'Icterina'

This Perennial Is Similar To The Species And Produces Variegated Yellow Or Green Leaves.

'Kew Gold'

This Perennial Grows To 300 Mm Tall And Wide With A Golden Yellow Leaves That May Be Flecked With Green And Produces Racemes Of Mauve Flowers.

'Purpurascens' Purple Sage

This Perennial Is Simular To The Species And Has Red Purplish New Growth And Mature Grey Green Leaves With A Purplish Haze.  It Produces Pale Mauve Flowers In Racemes During Late Spring.

'Tricolor'

This Frost Tolerant, Perennial Is Similar To The Species And Has Grey Green Leaves With Cream, Pink To Purple Markings.

Cultivation

Growth Type: Perennial

Climate: Temperate

Natural Soil: It It prefers a well drained, moist poor to moderately fertile sandy-stony to light loamy or chalky soil that is slightly acidic to alkaline with a pH range from 4.5 to 7.5, but is adaptable to slightly alkaline soils also.

Aspect: Full sun to part shade, open position, frost and drought tolerant

Spacing: 50cm

Propagation: seed, cutting

Sow fresh seed during spring and maintain a temperature of 19º to 24º C (66º to 77º F).

Soft tip or semi-hardwood cuttings during late summer to early winter and apply bottom heat.

Pruning: Tip prune during spring to bushy up, remove spent flower heads

Fertiliser: Mulch the soil during spring to summer, keep moist during the growing period

Attracts: Birds, Bees

Allies: cabbage, carrots, strawberries, tomatoes, marjoram

Enemies: cucumbers, rue, onions

Important: Hates to be water logged, drainage is essential.

Pest and Disease: Aphids, budworm, thrips, catepillars, slugs, snails, black rot, capsid bug. Susceptible to Rust, Leaf Burn, Leaf Spot and Damping-off at seedling stage. Under glass, Red Spider Mite and White Flies may occur.

Harvest

Edible Parts: Leaves, Flower, Fruit, Seed

Not Edible: Roots, Stem

Leaves are harvested in summer just before the flowers bloom, dried out undercover, away from direct sunlight.

Uses: essential oil, improves circulation, improves memory, mood and focus, reduces LDL cholesterol, reduces sweat secretion, regulates blood-sugar levels, antiseptic, antispasmodic, has anti-cancer and anti-mutagenic effects (research is currently testing anti-tumor effectiveness), effective against bacterial throat infections, natural remedy for Alzheimer's disease, aid for indigestion, heartburn and low stomach acidity.

Warnings: Do not ingest the essential oil or take medicinal applications for long periods of time, avoid if pregnant or breastfeeding, may interfere with hypoglycaemic and anticonvulsant therapies.

Allergen Potential: Low

Chemical Constituants: Thujone (C10H16O), Viridiflorol, Eucalyptol (C10H18O), Humulene, Camphene (C10H16), Borneol, p-Cymene (C10H14), Bornyl acetate (C12H20O2), Terpinen-4-ol (C10H18O), manool, Sabinene (C10H16), α-Pinene, β-Pinene, Copaene (C15H24), beta-bourbonene, Thujene (C10H16), Rosmarinic acid (C18H16O8), alpha-muurolene, Linalyl acetate (C12H20O2), Guaiene, tricyclene, Gurjunene, Myrtenol, (+)-α-cadinene, Iedene, Spathulenol (C15H24O), (-)-germacrene D, Phenolic acid, alpha-ylangene, (-)-α-cubebene, Elemene, 1-Octen-3-ol (C8H16O), Germacrene (C15H24), bicyclogermacrene, Neryl acetate, (+)-2-carene, globulol, (-)-myrtenyl acetate, santolina triene, p-α-dimethyl styrene, Fenchone (C10H16O), linalyl formate (C11H18O2), 3,4-Dihydrocadalene, (-)-borneol, β-eudesmol, Cadinol, Sclareol (C20H36O2), cis-linalool oxide, Carnosol

Nutritional Information

Nutritional Information: Sage, dried (per 100g)

Energy with dietary fibre, equated (kJ): 1320

Energy, without dietary fibre, equated (kJ): 998

Moisture (water) (g): 8

Total dietary fibre (g): 40.3

Protein (g): 10.6

Fat, total (g): 12.8

Total saturated fatty acids, equated (%T): 68.95

Total monounsaturated fatty acids, equated (%T): 17.54

Total polyunsaturated fatty acids, equated (g): 1.68

Total long chain omega 3 fatty acids, equated (mg): 0

Total undifferentiated fatty acids, mass basis basis (mg): 0

Total trans fatty acids, imputed (mg): 0

Available carbohydrate, without sugar alcohols (g): 20.4

Available carbohydrate, with sugar alcohols (g): 20.4

Alcohol (g): 0

Total sugars (g): 1.7

Fructose (g): 0

Glucose (g): 0

Sucrose (g): 0

Maltose (g): 0

Lactose (g): 0

Galactose (g): 0

Maltotrios (g): 0

Added sugars (g): 0

Free sugars (g): 0

25-hydroxy cholecalciferol (25-OH D3) (ug): 0

25-hydroxy ergocalciferol (25-OH D2) (ug): 0

Acetic acid (g): 0

Alanine (mg): 0

Alanine (mg/gN): 0

Alpha tocopherol (mg): 7.5

Alpha tocotrienol (mg): 0

Alpha-carotene (ug): 0

Aluminium (Al) (ug): 0

Antimony (Sb) (ug): 0

Arginine (mg): 0

Arginine (mg/gN): 0

Arsenic (As) (ug): 0

Ash (g): 8

Aspartic acid (mg): 0

Aspartic acid (mg/gN): 0

Beta tocopherol (mg): 0

Beta tocotrienol (mg): 0

Beta-carotene (ug): 3485

Beta-carotene equivalents (provitamin A) (ug): 3485

Biotin (B7) (ug): 0

Cadmium (Cd) (ug): 0

Caffeine (mg): 0

Calcium (Ca) (mg): 1652

Chloride (Cl) (mg): 0

Cholecalciferol (D3) (ug): 0

Cholesterol (mg): 0

Chromium (Cr) (ug): 0

Citric acid (g): 0

Cobalamin (B12) (ug): 0

Cobalt (Co) (ug): 0

Copper (Cu) (mg): 0

Cryptoxanthin (ug): 0

Cystine plus cysteine (mg): 0

Cystine plus cysteine (mg/gN): 0

Delta tocopherol (mg): 0

Delta tocotrienol (mg): 0

Dextrin (g): 0

Dietary folate equivalents (ug): 274

Ergocalciferol (D2) (ug): 0

Erythritol (g): 0

Fluoride (F) (ug): 0

Folate, natural (ug): 274

Folic acid (ug): 0

Fumaric acid (g): 0

Gamma tocopherol (mg): 0

Gamma tocotrienol (mg): 0

Glutamic acid (mg): 0

Glycerol (g): 0

Glycine (mg): 0

Glycine (mg/gN): 0

Glycogen (g): 0

Histidine (mg): 0

Histidine (mg/gN): 0

Inulin (g): 0

Iodine (I) (ug): 1.8

Iron (Fe) (mg): 28.12

Isoleucine (mg): 0

Isoleucine (mg/gN): 0

Lactic acid (g): 0

Lead (Pb) (ug): 0

Leucine (mg): 0

Leucine (mg/gN): 0

Lutein (ug): 0

Lycopene (ug): 0

Lysine (mg): 0

Lysine (mg/gN): 0

Magnesium (Mg) (mg): 428

Malic acid (g): 0

Maltitol (g): 0

Maltodextrin (g): 0

Manganese (Mn) (mg): 0

Mannitol (g): 0

Mercury (Hg) (ug): 0

Methionine (mg): 0

Methionine (mg/gN): 0

Molybdenum (Mo) (ug): 0

Niacin (B3) (mg): 5.72

Niacin derived equivalents (mg): 9.8

Niacin derived from tryptophan (mg): 4.08

Nickel (Ni) (ug): 0

Nitrogen (g): 1.7

Oligosaccharides (g): 0

Oxalic acid (g): 0

Pantothenic acid (B5) (mg): 0

Phenylalanine (mg): 0

Phenylalanine (mg/gN): 0

Phosphorus (P) (mg): 91

Polydextrose (g): 0

Potassium (K) (mg): 1070

Proline (mg): 0

Proline (mg/gN): 0

Propionic acid (g): 0

Pyridoxine (B6) (mg): 2.69

Quinic acid (g): 0

Raffinose (g): 0

Resistant starch (g): 0

Retinol (preformed vitamin A) (ug): 0

Riboflavin (B2) (mg): 0.336

Selenium (Se) (ug): 3.7

Serine (mg): 0

Serine (mg/gN): 0

Shikimic acid (g): 0

Sodium (Na) (mg): 11

Sorbitol (g): 0

Stachyose (g): 0

Starch (g): 18.7

Succinic acid (g): 0

Sulphur (S) (mg): 0

Tartaric acid (g): 0

Thiamin (B1) (mg): 0.754

Threonine (mg): 0

Threonine (mg/gN): 0

Tin (Sn) (ug): 0

Total folates (ug): 274

Tryptophan (mg): 240

Tryptophan (mg/gN): 141

Tyrosine (mg): 0

Tyrosine (mg/gN): 0

Valine (mg): 0

Valine (mg/gN): 0

Vitamin A retinol equivalents (ug): 581

Vitamin C (mg): 32

Vitamin D3 equivalents (ug): 0

Vitamin E (mg): 7.48

Xanthophyl (ug): 0

Xylitol (g): 0

Zinc (Zn) (mg): 4.7

References

Kirkland, P. (2024). Salvia officinalis. Plant File, record 3156. https://www.plantfileonline.net/

McClure, S & Roth, S (1995) Companion Planting. Lothian Succesful Gardening. ISBN: 0 85091 691 7

One Earth contributors. (2023). Bioregions: Nature's Map of the Earth. One Earth. Retrieved from: https://www.oneearth.org/bioregions/great-britain-ireland-faroe-islands-pa9/

Tancred, J., Allardice, P., Stackhouse, J., Akeroyd, S., & Wharton, L. (2007). Natures Medicines. Readers Digest Association. ISBN: 1 876689 16 1

Unknown. (2023). Australian Food Composition Database downloadable files: Nutrition File. Food Standards Australia. Retrieved 30/06/2024 from https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science-data/monitoringnutrients/afcd/australian-food-composition-database-download-excel-files

Unknown. (2022). Salvia officinalis (kitchen sage). World Species. Retrieved from: https://worldspecies.org/ntaxa/857149

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, May 20). Salvia officinalis. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 03:58, June 30, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Salvia_officinalis&oldid=1224858486