Sage
Salvia officinalis
Family Name:
Labitae
English family Name:
Mint
Common Names:
Sage, Common Sage, Kitchen Sage, Dalmatian Sage, Broadleaf Sage
Related species:
Salvia sclarea, or Clary Sage; Salvia divinorum or Diviner’s
Sage; Salvia Apiana or White Sage
Body System Affiliations:
1. Cardiovascular
2. Muscular-skeletal
Botanical Description:
Habit: Evergreen shrub/herb
Size: 2’ wide by 18” high
Arrangement: Alternate
Leaves: Leaves are green-gray and lance-shaped with prominent veins.
Flowers: Flowers are purple-blue and appear in mid-summer (4).
Stems: Stems are square-shaped and woody.
Ecology:
Habitat: Well-drained sunny areas in sandy and alkaline soil, often found
near limestone (4).
Range: Southern Europe (4)
Native where: The Mediterranean (Southern Europe through Asia Minor)
Ecological Relationships: Saliva self-pollinates and attracts butterflies,
bumblebees, and hummingbirds which help out the process (9).
Propagation:
Seed, stem cuttings (during the summer), crown division (this technique may cause plants shock), or layering during the spring or fall (1).
Harvest:
Plant Part: Leaves
Season of harvest: Leaves should be harvested before flowers bloom. Tie
small bundles together and dry in a room with indirect light. When dry,
remove stems and pack away in clean paper bags until further use (5).
Method of harvest: Cut stems 6-8” and allow to dry (2).
Indigenous and Non-Western Use/Significance/Relationships:
While my research has not shown that Native Americans use Salvia officinalis
to any great significance, it may be noted that other varieties of Salvia
are often used in sacred ceremonies.
Western (European-American) Uses/Relationships:
Food: Dry and fresh leaves are used to flavor culinary dishes; an essential
oil is used to flavor ice cream (4).
Medicine:
Part used: Leaves
Medicinal actions: Antioxidant, antiseptic, astringent, digestive aid, stimulant,
and tonic (4, 6, & 7).
Indications: Depression, indigestion (10), excessive lactation, perspiration,
and menstrual problems (4). Alleviates sore throats through its antiseptic
properties; has been found to boost insulin and may benefit those who suffer
from Type II diabetes (2). Purported to help liver disease (7). May also
behave as an inhibitor in patients who suffer from HIV (8).
Constituents: Camphor, Cineole, Diterpene bitters, Flavonoids, Antioxidants,
Phenolic acids, Tannins, Estrogenic substances (6).
Harvest:
Storage:
Preparation: Tea
Applications: For sore throat, prepare a tea and let cool; gargle. For boosting
insulin, prepare as an infusion. Poultices may also be prepared to treat
insect bites (10).
Cautions: Sage is toxic in large doses and should be avoided by pregnant
women and those suffering from epilepsy (4). It should not be taken for
more than two weeks because of its high oil content that may potentially
irritate the liver (10). Purple-leaved sage is believed to have much stronger
medicinal qualities (4).
Cultivars:
Purple sage ('Purpurea'); golden sage (‘Aurea’); and variegated
sage
References Cited:
1. Author Unknown. Garden Guides. Online at http://www.gardenguides.com/herbs/sage.htm. Visited 10/27/05.
2. Author Unknown. Urban Programs Research Network/University of Illinois
Extension. Online at http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/herbs/sage.html. Visited
10/27/05.
3. Greive, M. A Modern Herbal. Online at http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/sages-05.html.
Visited 10/30/05.
4. Author Unknown. Ibiblio.org. Online at http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Salvia+officinalis&CAN=COMIND. Visited 10/30/05.
5. Department of Agriculture. Farmers’ Bulletin No. 1977. Savory Herbs: Culture and Use. U.S.
6. Kight, Julie. Sage Officinalis. Online at http://healthyherbs.about.com/od/monographs/p/sage.htm. Visited 11/13/05.
7. Lima, Cristovao F. “The Drinking of a Salvia Officinalis infusion improves liver antioxidant status in mice and rats.” Journal of Ethnopharmacology . Vol. 97, Issue 2. February 28, 2005.
8. Bailly, Fabrice. “Synthesis and HIV-1 integrase inhibitory activites of caffeic acid dimmers derived from Salvia Officinalis.” Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters. Vol. 15, Issue 22. November 15, 2005.
9. Author unknown. Gardeningtips.org. Online at http://gardeningtips.org/July/feature.shtml. Visited 11/14/05.
10. Mahr, Susan. “Sage.” University of Wisconsin, Madison. Found online at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/wihort/fruitveggies/Sage.htm. Visited 11/15/05.
Having Fun with Sage:
Two Project Activities for Grades 5-7
What is sage?
Sage is a small shrubby herb that can grow up to 2 or 3 feet in height.
It is often used in cooking. Its aromatic leaves are spear-shaped and feel
soft and fuzzy. During the summer months, purple-blue flowers appear. There
are several different varieties, or cultivars, of sage, including pineapple
sage, tri-colored sage, and purple sage. Its Latin name is Salvia officinalis.
It is part of the mint family.
Where is sage found?
Sage is native to Southern Europe and Asia Minor. It is often found in rocky
and sandy hillsides.
How can it be used?
As mentioned above, sage has traditionally been used as an herb to flavor
cooking. Some of its medicinal uses include soothing sore throats and helping
excessive perspiration. Since the word ‘sage’ means to be wise
and smart, then it should be no surprise that sage has traditionally been
used as a tea to lift one’s mood. The ancient Romans used sage as
part of their sacred ceremonies. Some Native Americans use Salvia in their
scared ceremonies today.
Can I grow sage in my garden?
Yes, you can! Sage is a fairly easy plant to grow. It prefers well-drained
sunny areas in sandy or alkaline soil. It grows fast and will complement
a vegetable or flower bed.
Project 1: Propagating sage
Purpose:
To produce a new sage plant from cuttings and to experiment with other propagation
techniques.
Materials:
Journal and graph paper for recording notes and tracking growth of sample
plants
Peat cups
Glass jars
Soil
Water
Sage plant cuttings
Sage seeds (optional)
Procedure:
Hand out 2-3 sage cuttings to each student. (If available, also have students
experiment with seeds.) Have each student plant one sage cutting in a peat
moss cup with soil and have them place another cutting in a small jar of
water. Place samples near a window, and be sure to water the cuttings that
are placed in the soil. Weekly, have students track the growth and success
of each propagation method. After four to eight weeks, have students graph
out their results and have them write out their conclusions.
Project 2: Designing an herb garden
Purpose:
To introduce botanical history and landscape design skills through the use
of creating a geometrically-designed herb garden on graph paper.
Procedure:
Introduce students to historical herb and medicinal gardens. (See Resources
appendix) Using slides or photos from a book, have them try to identify
herbs and plants. Which plants were used for culinary purposes? Which were
used for medicinal purposes? Which were used for both? Have them analyze
the design and function of historical gardens.
In small groups, have students choose 5-10 herbs with which to design a garden. Have them research the mature height and width of each plant and plan accordingly. Using graph paper, have students lay out a garden plan using the diamond, circle, square or a combination of the above. Advanced students may want to try designing their own knot gardens. Colored pencils or crayons can be used for color coding and for creating a key to plants used in their design.
An optional approach to this project is to have students design herb gardens built around themes such as herbs found in literature, culinary herbs, dye herbs, fragrant herbs, etc.
Guide words:
Alkaline
Aromatic
Cultivars
Cuttings
Herb
Medicinal
Native
Propagation
Salvia officinalis
Resources:
General website for gardening with kids: www.Kidsgardening.com
Teacher’s perspective with creating and maintaining an herb garden that helps tie together botany and world history: www.Kidsgardening.com/Dig/digdetail.taf?Type=Art&id=838
Home site for the historical medicinal garden at Chelsea Physic Garden: www.Chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/
Brief overview of historical herb gardens in England: http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/design/handbooks/herbgarden/1.html
Historic Middle East garden design http://ag.arizona.edu/OALS/ALN/aln36/Hamed.html
Historic Chinese garden design:
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cgrk/hd_cgrk.htm
Resourceful website that can be searched by garden name, design, or designer:
http://www.gardenvisit.com/
Sample herb designs: http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/kitchen/handbooks/gourmetherbs/3b.html
