SAGE

SALVIA OFFICINALIS

Sage (Salvia Officinalis L.) is a small bushy shrub belonging to the Lamiaceae family, like oregano and rosemary. It is native to the Mediterranean coast, widespread all over the world where it grows spontaneously. Sage is very hardy and easy to cultivate; it prefers full sunlight and calcareous soils, while it does not like rigid temperatures and long periods without water. It is an evergreen plant, a bushy subshrub with woolly stalks that branch out from the bottom and grow to an average height of 60 cm. From its taproot many secondary roots sprout.
Its leaves are oval, oblong and opposite, petiolate, greyish green, densely hairy on the upper surface of the leaves. At the base its oil glands produce the essential oil that gives the plant its unmistakeable aroma. Its flowers are light blue, white or violet-blue, usually crowded in inflorescences, flowering from the end of spring. Except for the coldest period of the year, sage leaves can be collected and employed fresh over the year. In order to preserve them, pick up the small buds before they flower and let them dry quickly. You can use it for cooking to flavour your dishes but the sage is known to have digestive properties as well.