Sage
Salvia officinalis · Mint family (Lamiaceae)
| Hardiness zones | 4 to 8 |
|---|---|
| Sun | full sun |
| Water | low |
| Life cycle | perennial |
| Frost | Hardy: takes frost |
| Soil pH | 6.0–7.5 |
| Spacing | 24 to 30 inches |
About Sage
Common sage is a shrubby perennial with soft gray-green leaves, a classic for stuffing and poultry. It needs good drainage and a light hand with pruning, since old woody stems rarely resprout.
NC State lists common sage as hardy in zones 4-8.
When to plant
Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.
Grow from seed, stem cuttings or layering. Harvest lightly the first year so the plant can establish, and do not prune into old woody stems.
Soil
Well-drained loam, sandy or rocky soil; it will not tolerate wet, poorly drained ground.
Plant in full sun in very well-drained soil worked with some compost; sage tolerates poor soil. Like most herbs it does best at a pH of 6.0 to 7.5; base fertilizer on a soil test.
Feeding
- once during the growing season, only if the soil is poor or plants look pale: complete fertilizer such as 5-10-5. Scatter about 3 oz per 10 ft of row beside the plants and water it in; potted plants outdoors can get half-strength liquid fertilizer every 3-4 weeks.
Rich soil or heavy feeding gives fast, lush growth with less essential oil, so leaves have weaker flavor and scent.
Harvest
Pick leaves as needed through the season; pinching and light pruning in spring keep the plant from getting leggy.
Pick leaves in spring and summer (lightly in the first year), and prune in spring and during the season to keep it from getting leggy. Don't cut into old woody stems, which seldom resprout.
Varieties (12)
Extension sources document 11 garden sage cultivars plus the species. Hardiness ratings for the colored-leaf types vary between sources.
| Variety | Type | Days | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berggarten | Garden sage | Large, round, silvery gray-green leaves on a bushy plant that stays full to the base; rarely blooms and resists mildew. | |
| Extrakta | Garden sage | Seed-grown sage with gray leaves and high essential oil content. | |
| Holt's Mammoth | Garden sage | Fast-growing, up to 3 feet, with large gray-green leaves 4-5 inches long. | |
| Purple sage (Purpurascens) | Garden sage | Strongly flavored and used in cooking. New leaves flushed purple, maturing toward gray-green; about 18 inches tall. | |
| White-flowered sage (Albiflora) | Garden sage | Pure white flowers on a plant about 16 inches tall; grown from seed. | |
| Compacta | Garden sage (dwarf) | Same sage flavor as the species. Smaller leaves on a compact plant about 10 inches tall; grown from cuttings. | |
| Nana | Garden sage (dwarf) | Half the size of common sage or less, with narrow leaves; good in containers. | |
| Golden sage (Aurea) | Garden sage (ornamental) | May be milder than common sage. Compact plant with chartreuse-yellow leaves marked darker green along the veins. | |
| Common sage | Garden sage (Salvia officinalis) | Classic sage flavor for stuffing, poultry, soups and stews. Small evergreen shrub with broad, oval gray-green leaves. | |
| Icterina | Garden sage (variegated) | Gray-green leaves edged in yellow or gold; seldom blooms; often grown as an ornamental. | |
| Purpurascens Variegata | Garden sage (variegated) | Purple sage with leaves splashed pink and creamy white. | |
| Tricolor | Garden sage (variegated) | Green leaves with white edges and rose-pink streaks, pinkest on new growth; decorative. |
Pests to watch for
Leafhoppers, Four-lined plant bug, Mealybugs
In the kitchen
Leaves season meat, vegetable and egg dishes and poultry stuffing, and can be used in tea; flowers are edible in small amounts.
Keeping it: Stand fresh sprigs in a glass with an inch of water in the fridge, loosely covered, and change the water daily; use within about a week or freeze them. Dried leaves keep best airtight in a cool, dark cupboard.
Safety: Common sage contains thujone, which can be toxic in large amounts. NCCIH says sage may be unsafe in pregnancy, and the European Medicines Agency does not recommend medicinal sage in pregnancy, while breastfeeding or for anyone under 18. Studies have used it safely for up to 8 weeks; ask a doctor before combining it with medicines.
Pets: Not toxic to dogs, cats or horses (ASPCA)
Sources
- plants.ces.ncsu.edu
- extension.umn.edu
- nccih.nih.gov
- ema.europa.eu
- extension.umn.edu
- aspca.org
- ema.europa.eu
- aggie-hort.tamu.edu
- hort.extension.wisc.edu
- extension.illinois.edu
- hgic.clemson.edu
Photo: Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo resized for the web.
Planting dates and advice are general guidance; check with your local Cooperative Extension office for your area.