Practical
Plants

Salvia multicaulis

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

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Genus
Salvia
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
evergreen
Woodiness
woody
Height
0.3 m
Spread
0.25 m
Fertility
Bees
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees

Uses

Edible uses

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

The plant is used as a condiment for tea or is prepared as a tea in boiling water[2]. The aromatic leaves are a good substitute for common sage (Salvia officinalis) in cooking[3].

Product or use
Condiment
Product or use
Tea

Environment

Range
W. Asia - Iran to Turkey.
Habitat
Dry scrub, steppe and rocky limestone slopes to 2600 metres[3].
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[4]. 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[4].

Cultivation

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

Requires a very well-drained fertile sandy soil in a sunny position[4]. Soils rich in nitrogen encourage excessive leaf growth at the expense of flowering[1]. Hardy to about -25°c[3]. Another report says that the plant only tolerates temperatures down to about -10°c[4]. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet. A low-growing plant forming mats[4]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[5].

References

  1. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩

  2. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

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  3. Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Perennials Volumes 1 and 2. Pan Books 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30936-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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

    ↩

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