Salvia fruticosa
| Salvia fruticosa | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |   |
| Hardiness: | 9 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Evergreen | |
| Height: | 3' |
| Width: | 3' |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Salvia fruticosa (common name: greek sage)
Propagation: Seed - sow March/April in a greenhouse[1]. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. In areas where the plant is towards the limits of its hardiness, it is best to grow the plants on in a greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in late spring of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood succeed at almost any time in the growing season[1].
Cultivation: Requires a very well-drained light sandy soil in a sunny position[1]. Prefers a rich soil[2]. Soils rich in nitrogen encourage excessive leaf growth at the expense of flowering[3].
Plants are not very hardy outdoors in Britain, though they should succeed outdoors in the mildest areas of the country, but perhaps even there needing the protection of a south-facing wall. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet[1].
The flowers are very attractive to bees, providing a good source of nectar[4].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[5].
Range: Europe - C. and E. Mediterranean.
Habitat: Dry rocky hillsides[4].
Edibility: The leaves are used as a spice or as an adulterant of sage (S. officinalis)[6]. Somewhat inferior in quality to sage but it is easier to grow indoors[6]. The leaves make up 50 - 95% of commercially dried sage leaves[7].
A fragrant tea, called 'fascomiglia' is made by infusing the leaves[4][1].
Medicinal: The leaves are antihydrotic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, cholagogue, depurative, expectorant, febrifuge, stimulant, tonic and vasodilator[8][9][10][11][12][7]. They are used internally in the treatment of digestive and respiratory complaints, menstrual problems, infertility, nervous tension and depression[7]. This remedy should not be prescribed to pregnant women[7]. The leaves can be harvested as required and used fresh, or they can be harvested before the flowers open and dried or distilled for their essential oil[7].
Usage: An essential oil obtained from the leaves is used to adulterate spike lavender oil (obtained from Lavandula latifolia)[7].
Pollinators: Bees
Soil: Can grow in light and medium soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
In Leaf: Evergreen
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Also Known As: S. triloba. L.f.
Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ Bean, William. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Murray, 1981.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Niebuhr, Alta. Herbs of Greece. Herb Society of America, 1970.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ Mills, Simon. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.