By Mary Cennamo, Bexar County Master Gardener
April 2024
This perennial garden herb (Salvia officinalis) is in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. The mint family contains many other well-known plants such as American beauty berry, coleus and rosemary.
Characteristics of plants in this family include square stems and aromatic leaves that are opposite one another on the stems.
Salvia comes from the Latin word “salvate” which means “to cure.” The plant was used by ancient pharmacists as a cure-all ingredient in many medicinal mixtures for stomach ailments, throat soreness, and skin care. Its anti-bacterial properties were useful in curing infections prior to the development of antibiotics.
Today’s medical and scientific communities value its anti-inflammatory properties for arthritis and eczema, antioxidants and the ability to control the bodies’ sugars for people with diabetes. Even though sage should not be consumed in excess, I might just start drinking 1 cup of sage tea daily for these health benefits!
Propagating Culinary Sage
Similar to most plants in the mint family, culinary sage can be easily propagated from cuttings. Before doing so, make that your scissors are sterilized with alcohol and that you have several buds on a 3-to-4-inch section of stem. The roots will then grow from those leaf buds.
When I propagate plants, I usually dip the stem cutting in water and then into a root stimulator powder. Next, I plant the cuttings in vermiculite, keeping the plant moist until the roots form, usually within 5 to 6 weeks.
Planting Culinary Sage
Once the roots emerge, you can plant the seedling in a pot near your back door with easy access to your kitchen. You may also sow the seeds directly into your garden or into a pot.
“Layering” is another plant propagation technique that allows you to create a new plant using one that is already in the garden. This is often a great approach for growing plants that are identical to the mother plant if you like its appearance and want it in another area of your garden. Doing so will give you an idea of how wide and tall it will become when it is a mature plant.
To use this technique, choose a branch that is already near or on the ground and clear any leaves or debris below it, leaving the soil exposed.
Then, lay the branch on the top of soil and cover it up with additional soil and water regularly. You might have to anchor the new plant with a rock or a hose stake to keep it in position until the roots begin to grow along the stem, a process that takes about 5 weeks.
Once rooted, then cut the stem away from the mother plan, carefully dig up the new plant and move it to its new location.
Caring for Culinary Sage
Culinary sage originated in the Mediterranean region where the air is dry and hot and is well-suited to San Antonio’s climate. I planted this culinary sage (see photo to the right) on the north side of my house in front of my irises in full sun where it receives at least 6 to 8 hours of daily sunlight.
I have read that the leaves are more flavorful for cooking if the plant receives full sun. My plant is subject to the northerly frigid winds in the wintertime as the fronts come in and it is located in the coldest spot in my yard.
Nonetheless, the plant is hardy and requires little water once established. I rarely water this herbal shrub except in the extreme summer heat and do that sparingly so that it can dry out between waterings.
Culinary sage does best in non-fertile, well-drained soil with leaf mulching, although I don’t apply mulch and let the leaves drop where they may. It’s a very drought tolerant plant once it reaches maturity, in about 2 years.
I usually don’t give this plant fertilizer, but if you want to fertilize it when first planted, you can use a slow- release lawn fertilizer or 10x10x10 slow release, making sure to water in the fertilizer. For older established plants, some believe that fertilizer can taint the flavor of the leaves. That’s why I don’t fertilize it since I grow this herb for its unique savory peppery flavor, and use it in many meat, fish, pasta, and turkey dressing recipes.
The leaves should be picked and used or dried for later use before the plant flowers in the spring for maximum leaf flavor. Some believe that most herbal sage plants become woody and need to be dug up, discarded, and replanted from time to time. In contrast, I have found that the plant’s new growth leaves are still flavorful, and that the shrub maintains its beautiful, rounded growth pattern even after it has been in my garden for many years. It still flowers consistently and the flowers are edible with a sweet taste. This year, my sage plant is beautiful with many light purple flowers, which is a magnet for butterflies. In fact, this year’s rainfall has given the plants a boost with more flowers than usual and more growth.
My shrub has reached around 30 inches in width. Dividing the plant every three years will help the plant to thrive. Keep in mind that the shrub tends to spread from branches that hit the ground, so it would be prudent to space the plants between 24 to 30 inches apart. Your garden may look empty for a bit but just be patient and it will fill in with time and bring butterflies into your yard.
In summary, culinary sage is a hardy plant with few pest problems. Occasionally white flies and aphids might be a problem but beneficial bugs, like lady bugs, seem to control the pest naturally.
Additional Resources:
Plant Propagation by Layering by NC State Extension
Herbs for Texas Landscapes by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
Recipe: Irene’s Potatoes with Sage and Garlic
Soak baby potatoes at least one hour in heavily salted water. Drain, and toss potatoes with sage leaves, salt and olive oil. Transfer mixture to a baking sheet covered with foil. Add to a pre-heated 430-degree oven for 10 minutes. Then turn the heat down to 350-degrees, stir the potatoes, and cook for 30 additional minutes. (After 10 minutes at 350-degrees add garlic cloves with husks into the mixture, if desired).
The result is crispy sage, and tasty, softened garlic on top of perfectly cooked potatoes. All ingredients can be added to the serving plate and your guests can easily remove the garlic husks prior to eating. Enjoy!