Everything about Salvia totally explained
Salvia is a
genus of plants in the mint family,
Lamiaceae. It is one of three
genera commonly referred to as
sage. When used without modifiers, sage generally refers to
common sage (
Salvia officinalis); however, it can be used with modifiers to refer to any member of the genus. This genus includes approximately 700 to 900 species of
shrubs,
herbaceous perennials, and
annuals with almost world-wide distribution. The center of diversity and origin appears to be Central and South Western Asia. Different species of sage are grown as herbs and as
ornamental plants. The ornamental species are commonly referred to by their scientific name
Salvia.
The closely related genera
Perovskia and
Phlomis are also known as sage. Some species of the unrelated genus
Artemisia are also referred to as sages, a shortened version of
sagebrush. Smudge bundles are made with various grey-leaved species of
Artemisia and are misrepresented as "whitesage" smudges. The true whitesage is
Salvia apiana.
Description
Salvia species include annual, biennial, or perennial herbs, and a few woody based sub-shrubs. The
stems are typically angled like other members in
Lamiaceae.
The
flowers are produced in
spikes,
racemes, or
panicles, and generally produce a showy display with flower colors ranging from blue to red with white and yellow less common. The
calyx is normally tubular or bell shaped, with out bearded throats, and divided into 2 parts or lips, the upper lip entire or 3-toothed, the lower 2-cleft. The corollas are often claw shaped and are 2-lipped with the upper lip entire or notched and the lower spreading. The lower lip typically has 3 lobes with the middle lobe longest. The
stamens are reduced to two short structures with anthers 2-celled, the upper cell fertile, and the lower imperfect. The flower styles are 2-cleft. The fruits are smooth nutlets and many species have a mucilaginous coating.
Salvia species are used as food plants by the
larvae of some
Lepidoptera (
butterfly and
moth) species including (but not limited to) the
bucculatricid leaf-miner
Bucculatrix taeniola which feeds exclusively on the genus and the
Coleophora case-bearers
C. aegyptiacae,
C. salviella (both feed exclusively on
S. aegyptiaca),
C. ornatipennella and
C. virgatella (both recorded on
S. pratensis).
Selected species
- Salvia apiana - White sage, California white sage.
- Salvia argentea - Silver sage.
- Salvia arizonica - Arizona sage, Desert indigo sage, a purple-flowering annual.
- Salvia austriaca - Austrian sage.
- Salvia azurea - Blue sage, Azure blue sage; very big bright blue flowers.
- Salvia candelabrum - a blue-flowering scented sage.
- Salvia carnosa - a blue-flowering annual, native to the Arizona desert.
- Salvia clevelandii - Blue sage, Cleveland sage, Fragrant sage.
- Salvia coccinea - Blood sage, a scarlet-flowered tender perennial
- Salvia columbariae - Chia, Chia sage, California chia.
- Salvia divinorum - Diviner's sage.
- Salvia dorrii - Ute Tobacco Sage (mild hallucinogen when smoked)
- Salvia farinacea - Mealycup sage, annual in temperate climates will survive mild winters
- Salvia forreri
- Salvia fulgens - Cardinal sage, Mexican red sage, a red-flowering perennial
- Salvia funerea – Death Valley sage
- Salvia glutinosa
- Salvia greggii - Autumn sage, a red-flowered sage with a very strong scent
- Salvia guaranitica - Anise sage or hummingbird sage.
- Salvia hispanica - the Chia of commerce.
- Salvia leucantha - Mexican bush sage, velvety spikes of violet-purple and white, 3' tall.
- Salvia leucophylla - Purple sage.
- Salvia libanotica - Mediterranean or middle eastern sage
- Salvia longistyla - Mexican sage.
- Salvia lyrata - Lyre-leaved sage, Lyreleaf sage.
- Salvia mexicana - Mexican sage, medium blue to violet and lavender, 8' to 10' tall.
- Salvia miltiorrhiza - Chinese sage
- Salvia officinalis - Common sage.
- Salvia patens - a blue-flowering annual.
- Salvia polystachya - Chia sage, Chia seed.
- Salvia potus - Chia.
- Salvia pratensis - Meadow clary or Meadow sage.
- Salvia roemeriana - Cedar Sage; this species prefers shady moist areas
- Salvia sclarea - Clary or Clary sage.
- Salvia spathacea - Pitcher sage or Hummingbird sage.
- Salvia splendens - Scarlet sage.
- Salvia verbenaca - Wild clary, Wild sage.
- Salvia verticillata - Whorled clary, Lilac sage, a white- or blue-flowering perennial with the scent of Clary
- Salvia viridis (syn.: S. horminum) - Painted sage.
Cultivation and uses
History
The sage species used as herbs come from the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. Sage has also been grown in central Europe since the
Middle Ages.
The name
Salvia derives from the Latin
salvere, which means "to heal". Indeed this herb is highly regarded for its healing qualities. An ancient proverb states, "Why should a man die who has sage in his garden?". The ancient
Greeks used it to treat
consumption,
ulcers and
snake bites.
The
Ancient Romans considered sage to be a sacred herb and followed an elaborate
ceremony when harvesting it. A sage gatherer would use a special knife (not made of iron as it reacts with the sage), have to have clean clothes and clean feet and a sacrifice of food would have to be made before he could begin. The Romans would use it for toothpaste; they also believed it to be good for the brain, senses and memory.
The
Chinese also were quite partial to this herb. 17th century
Dutch merchants found that they'd trade one chest of sage leaves for three of their teas
(External Link
).
Sages are also used by several
Native American cultures.
Medicinal uses
Several types of
Salvia are used medicinally:
aromatic varieties (usually strongly scented leaves, also used as herbs)
non-aromatic varieties (not considered medicinal, but many still have a scent)
Chia sages
Divinorum (Diviner's sage) contains a diterpenoid used for spiritual and recreational purposes.
Research has shown that Salvia Officinalis improves cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease patients over a period of several months.
The aromatic sages strengthen the lungs and can be used in teas or tinctures to prevent coughs. Less aromatic species of Salvia are run-of-the-mill mint-family anti-inflammatories, which means that they can be used for pretty much any infection or inflammation, and will give at least some relief.
Common sage (Salvia officinalis) drunk as a cold tea will stop sweating, while the same tea drunk hot will produce sweating. Cold and hot teas will also either stop or enhance milk production. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy and medicine.
White sage (Salvia apiana) is a very strong general anti-inflammatory, used as tea or tincture. The tincture has a very nice scent and can be used as a perfume. This species is the famous whitesage of smudge sticks.
Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans, old: S. rutilans) is a tender perennial with pineapple-scented leaves. Medicinally, this is perhaps closest to the scented geraniums, a sweet-smelling Pelargonium species.
Red sage (Salvia miltiorrhiza) is used medicinally in Traditional Chinese medicine.
Chia sages. The seeds of these species are used as bulk laxatives, much like the seeds of Psyllium (Plantago spp.) or linseed. Chia has been important in the diet of desert Indians. It is still used for its mucilaginous qualities by Mexican natives.
Diviner's sage (Salvia divinorum) also called Yerba de la Pastora or sometimes just Salvia, is a plant that differs from all the other sages. It is a Mexican visionary herb and there's some evidence it's a true cultivar. It is known to have strong psychoactive (specifically psychedelic) properties.
References and external links
A Book of Salvias: Sages for Every Garden by Betsy Clebsch, Timber Press, 1997, ISBN 0-88192-369-9. An excellent reference on salvias. Also, an updated (2004 edition) is available.
(External Link) ITIS 32680 2002-09-06
Akhondzadeh S, Noroozian M, Mohammadi M. R. 2003, Salvia Officinalis extract in the treatment of mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease: A double blind and placebo-controlled trial. British Journal of Pharmacology, Vol. 140, p22P-22P, 1/2p
Further Information
Get more info on 'Salvia'.
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