Common Sage

Common sage is an aromatic, edible, short-lived, bushy, spreading, semi-woody herbaceous perennial shrub that is a member of the Lamiaceae or mint family. It is found in many gardens and offers great texture and sensory observations with its furry grayish-green leaves. The species can grow up to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Many cultivars may be shorter. The flowers are camphor-scented and may be bluish-lavender to pinkish-lavender and appear as upright spikes in the early summer. The flowers attract butterflies and bees. The plant is native to the Mediterranean. They prefer the sunny and free-draining soils found along the coast, hillsides, and mountains near the Mediterranean in shrublands or grasslands. For many centuries in Europe, common sage was used both for culinary and medicinal purposes. Romans used common sage as a sacred ceremonial herb.