Word of the Day: Salvia
The botanical name for sage.
Growing Culinary Sage for Kitchens Gardens or Dry Landscapes (Salvia Officinalis)
The sage herbs you cook with in the kitchen also a makes a delicious addition to dry gardens. They grow to a height of three feet tall and almost as wide. The stems are square and woody, usually covers with short hairs. All parts of this grayish green plant are aromatic. Salvia leaves are long and thin, up to 4 inches long and 1/2 inch across. They are crinkly, fragrant and sticky and can be used in cooking either fresh or dried. Culinary Sage or salvia officinalis is native to the Mediterranean region, making it a perfect plant for dry gardens. Sage grows in full sun to partial, dappled shade, and are hardy to about 20 degrees.
Sage plants flower in the summer with upright usually with blue or light blue flowers. They are beautiful in arrangements, or dried for kitchen decoration. Salvia can tolerate regular garden watering, but will also do well in drought conditions. After a few years they will need to be cut back to remove dead branches and maintain shape. (more…)