Salvia officinalis, Sage seeds

Salvia officinalis seeds

Sage herb or Salvia officinalis is one of the famous medical plants with the most traditional use in Europe. Originated from regions around the Mediterranean Sea today it is cultivated in the north of America and all over the European continent. The name Salvia derived from the latin word “salvare”, which means “healing”.

The angled stems are woody on the sub shrubs. The whole plants can grow up to a height of about eighty centimeters in size. Little hairs, called trichomes, are growing on stems and leaves so they appear kind of silvery colored. The leaves on the bottom of the plant have long stems and a dark green to grey color, whereas the leaves at the top of the plant are getting violet colored. Florescence lasts from May to July with flowers arranged in panicles with colors ranging from blue to red.

It can grow in a pot or in the garden in sandy or loamy well-drained soils. Avoid cold temperatures or windy places to grow! It is used as spice for cooking or as a medical herb for treating different symptoms and aches. In the Old World the plants were used for the treatment of inflammation and the extract was used for the disinfection of wounds. Tea was given to women with pain caused by menstrual period. Also in the Middle Age the plants could be found in the garden of every monastery. Even today it is used against cold symptoms, excessive sweating, inflammation, bacterial infections and stomach aches. The plants include flavonoids, bittern and tanning agents as well as essentials like Cineol, Campher, Borneol and Thujon. Consuming them should be handled carefully. Steady overdosage of Thujon (about fifteen leaves per day) can lead to adverse effects like seizures, vertigo, hot flashs and accelerated heart beating.