Practical
Plants

Salvia microphylla

Blackcurrant Sage

a perennial evergreen member of the Salvia genus in the family Labiatae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Genus
Salvia
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Height
1.2 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The leaves have a pleasant scent of blackcurrant and can be used fresh or dried as a flavouring. A herbal tea, called 'mirot de montes', is made from the leaves[5].

Product or use
Condiment
Product or use
Tea

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An infusion of the flowers and leaves have been used in the treatment of fevers[4].

Product or use
Febrifuge

Environment

Range
Southern N. America - Mexico to Guatemala.
Habitat
Not known
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 8+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow March/April in a greenhouse[2]. 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[2].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Requires a very well-drained light sandy soil in a warm sunny position[2]. Prefers a rich soil[1]. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet[2]. This species is rather variable with a number of sub-species and cultivars of differing hardiness[2][5]. The hardiest forms tolerate temperatures down to about -10°c[5] and can be grown outdoors in the mildest areas of the country, though they are probably best grown in a cold greenhouse. When grown outdoors, the top growth will be cut back to the ground in cold winters but, if the roots are given a good mulch in the autumn, plants will often survive the winter outdoors and resprout freely from the base in the spring[2]. The flowers are very attractive to bees, providing a good source of nectar[6]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[3].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  3. Thomas. G. S. Perennial Garden Plants J. M. Dent & Sons, London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0 460 86048 8

    ↩

  4. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩

  5. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 Pan Books, London. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-330-37376-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

Edit this page