Sage: Easy To Grow and Great For Hearty Dishes

Why should a man die when he can go to his garden for sage? It may not save your life, but sage (Salvia officinalis) has a reputation for increasing mental capacity, and is also associated with longevity.

 

Both decorative and practical, sage has many uses. It has the versatility to look great in an herb or flower garden, and also to be useful in the kitchen and medicine cabinet.

 

Most sages are evergreen, shrub-like plants with grayish leaves, growing to 2 feet. There are over 750 species grown worldwide, and valued by many. Back in the 17th century, the Chinese would trade 3 chests of tea for one of sage.

 

The broadleaf variety is best grown for culinary uses and not for show because it rarely produces flowers. Your best choice for the flower garden is purple sage (S.o. purpurea) or painted sage (S.o. tricolor), as these varieties are more colorful. They both will flower, if not cut back, and will also add color with their foliage. The only drawback with these two varieties is that you'll have to replace them in the spring, because they're ‎ only hardy to zone 8. I've found that in the southern New Hampshire Zone 5 climate, my best bet for a hardy plant ‎ is the common garden sage. It's great for culinary uses, and does have a pale mauve flower in late summer. There is also clary sage, which is a biennial, hardy to zone 4. It grows 2-3 ft. with colorful flower spikes of blue-purple and white.

 

Sometimes called the herb of etemal youth, sage has many healing attributes. The purple variety is the one most used in medicine. A hot infusion of sage can be used as a cold remedy. If you're looking for relief from a sore throat, infected gums, or mouth ulcers, a gargle made with sage tea and a little cider vinegar can surely help. Also used as a digestive aid, sage promotes bile flow and works as an anti-spasmodic, and carminative. Sage tea with lemon is used for headaches, probably because of its ability to relax peripheral blood vessels. Pregnant women should avoid therapeutic doses, as it stimulates the uterus. Sage also has the ability to reduce lactation when weaning, and relieves night sweats at menopause. A cup of sage tea before bed may be just the trick to avoid those bothersome hot flashes.

 

In the kitchen, sage is generally used to flavor soups, sauces and stuffing. Cooked with pork, duck and goose, it tends to offset the fattiness of these dishes. Also great with beans, onions, tomatoes, cheeses and omelets, sage should be used sparingly so as not to be overpowering.

 

Usually propagated by seed or cutting, an established shrub can also be layered for new plants. The mother plant gets woody, and will need to be replaced every 3 or 4 years.

 

An herb garden isn't complete without at least one sage plant. The textured leaves add interest and can be harvested well into November and December. It's kind of fun to meander out to the garden this time of year, when all else looks pretty bleak, and pick a few leaves to add to a sandwich or make a cup of fresh tea.

 

The Master Gardener Program is conducted through the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension . Master Gardeners are volunteers with years of gardening experience who share their knowledge with others after completing a training program.

 

Call the UNH Cooperative Extension's Family, Home & Garden Education Center 's Info-Line toll-free at 1-877-3984769 for "Practical Solutions to Everyday Questions." Trained volunteers are available to answer your questions Monday through Friday from 9 am to 2 pm .

 

By, Maddy Perron, Master Gardener, University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, Hillsborough County