July 1 :: Sage

Sage is one of the perennial herbs growing out in the raised beds on the Brooks Student Center patio. It is a popular culinary and medicinal herb, and ours is growing really well despite all the damp weather. We have it in a pot nestled into the raised bed so we can pull it out and keep it in the greenhouse over the winter.

Sage can be used dried or fresh (but why use dried when you could be using fresh??) and often accompanies pork, poultry, sausage, and vegetables. The part of the plant used is the leaves which can be picked or clipped off individually whenever you need them. In the raised beds we are growing Salvia officinalis; Purpurascens Group, or purple sage. It is an especially decorative sage variety with lovely, soft purple-gray leaves.



Medicinally sage has been used for centuries for a number of ailments. A hot tea made from steeped sage leaves is good for colds and sore throats. The phenolic acid in sage is antibacterial and so can be used as a mouthwash for any mouth irritations such as inflamed gums. Sage also stimulates digestion and the liver. What a wonderous plant!

Even though purple sage is the most efficive medicinal variety, we planted it because it also does well in containers and raised beds. It has a bushy shape and can grow up to 32 inches tall. The sage in our garden is so happy that we are ready to start using it to prepare food for the summer camps and special campus occasions.

Check back next week for more updates!

Grow on,
The Green Blogger

sources for this information:
"Sara's Superb Herbs" superbherbs.net
"The New Age Herbalist", 1988, Gaia Books Ltd., London.