Practical
Plants

Salvia pratensis

Meadow Clary

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

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Labiatae
Genus
Salvia
Life cycle
perennial
Height
1 m
Spread
0.5 m
Fertility
Insects
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Insects

Uses

Edible uses

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

The pungent, bitter flavoured herb has been used as a flavouring in beers and wines[3]. It is also used as an adulterant of sage[2][3].

Product or use
Condiment

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Scandanavia south and east to Spain, Serbia, the Crimea, Bulgaria.
Habitat
A rare native in Britain, growing in old grasslands over chalk and limestone[5].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
no shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
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[5]. 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[5].

Cultivation

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

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in a very well-drained light sandy soil in a sunny position[5]. Prefers a rich soil[1]. Requires a good well-drained soil[4]. Hardy to about -25°c[4]. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet[5]. Well suited to the wild garden, growing well in the summer meadow[5]. Plants have stout stems and require little if any staking[5]. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[6]. There are many named forms selected for their ornamental value[5].

References

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

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  2. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩1↩2

  5. 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↩7↩8

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

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