Salvia officinalis Purpurea

9x9 cm

€4,90

Salvia officinalis Purpurea, commonly known as purple sage, is a resilient sage, known for its striking purple foliage and aromatic properties.

The leaves are elongated, lance-shaped, and deeply veined with a purple to purplish-green color. They are slightly hairy and have a strong, pleasant aroma when crushed.

The flowers are small, tubular, and range from purple to lavender in color. They are arranged in spikes that rise above the foliage and bloom primarily in the late spring to early summer

Other Names

Setcreasea pallida, purple secretia, purple-heart, or purple queen

Flowering	April, May, June
Size	Height: 0.8 Width: 0.6
Exposure	Sun
Frost Tolerance	-15°C
Soil	Dry/Rocky

Gardening Tips:

The Botany:

The leaves of Salvia purpurea can be used to flavor meats, soups, and stews but they are not as commonly found in recipes as those of other sages.

Because it is so striking, it is more often used for fragrant-ornamental purposes.

The binary name, officinalis, refers to the plant's medicinal use—the officina was the traditional storeroom of a monastery where herbs and medicines were stored.

The Myths:

Additionally, for those color enthusiasts out there - the color sage comes from the color of the foliage of the common (is she common though?) sage.

The sage is sage.

Treated as a holy herb by the Romans, planted in monasteries under Charlemagne before becoming an indispensable herb of great renown during the Middle Ages.

A soap, a soup, a cleansing herb for the house and the mind, a toothpaste, an infusion that wards off the plague... whatever you needed, salvia would bring you your salvation.