Sage (Salvia officinalis) Sage is a decorative evergreen shrub with downy foliage that varies in color from gray to gray-green, with one variety producing deep purple leaves. The camphor scented, purple-blue flowers, which appear in mid-summer are exceptionally attractive. Plants can reach a height of 2 feet with a spread of 18 inches. Cultivation Sage prefers a sunny location with alkaline soil. It grows best in a warm climate. Propagate from summer cuttings taken with a heel or by layering established branches in spring and fall. Seed is unreliable and slow to flower. Keep the plant well pruned to encourage young shoots with a strong flavor. Pruning also keeps the plants from becoming leggy and twiggy. Culinary Uses Use in sauces and stuffings for fatty meats such as goose, duck, pork and sausage. In Italy, the fresh leaves are lightly fried with liver, and rolled up with ham and veal in saltimbocca. In Germany and Belgium, the leaves are added to eel and other oily fish dishes. In Middle Eastern countries the leaves are used liberally in salads. Cosmetic Uses Leaves can be strewn in bathwater and in rinsewater to enhance dark hair. Medicinal Uses Because of its anticeptic qualities, sage tea is used as a gargle for a sore throat. Theres also compelling new research indicating that sage may be of value to people with diabetes. Laboratory studies indicate that sage may boost insulins action. Sage was among 24 herbs tested that were found to boost insulin activity two- to fivefold or more in patients with Type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetes. For people who have diabetes, this means that drinking sage tea in conjunction with their insulin treatments is worth a try. To make a tea, pour a cup of boiling water over one to two teaspoons of dried leaves and steep for ten minutes. If you have diabetes, it would be a good idea to discuss using sage with your doctor. For sore throat, allow the tea to cool till warm, then gargle as needed. Other Uses Dark sage leaves are an attractive addition to potpourri. from Garden Guides SAGE *Warnings: Do not use if pregnant, Do not use internally in high doses, Not intended for long-term use as it can case symptoms of poisoning. *Latin Name: Salvia Officinalis *Folk Names: Garden Sage, Red Sage, Sawge, Sage spice, Garden meadow, Greek sage *Parts Used: leaves, whole herb *Gender: Masculine *Planet: Jupiter and Venus Element: Air *Description: sage is a decorative evergreen shrub with downy foliage that varies in color from gray to gray-green, with one variety producing deep purple leaves. A strongly branched root system produces square, finely hairy stems which are woody at the base and bear opposite, downy, oblong leaves which may entire or finely crenate. The camphor scented, purple-blue flowers, which appear in mid-summer (June to July) are exceptionally attractive. Plants can reach a height of 2 feet with a spread of 18 inches. It grows wild in southern Europe and the Mediterranean countries and it is commonly cultivated elsewhere as a kitchen spice. *Cultivation: sage prefers a sunny location with alkaline soil. It grows best in a warm climate. Propagate from summer cuttings taken with a heel or by layering established branches in spring and fall. Seed is unreliable and slow to flower. Keep the plant well pruned to encourage young shoots with a strong flavor. Pruning also keeps the plants from becoming leggy and twiggy. *Powers: Immortality, Longevity, Wisdom, Protection, Wishes, Health, Purification *Magical Uses: Sage has been utilized to ensure a long life - sometimes even immortality. This is done by eating some of the plant every day, or at least in May, for: He who would live for aye Must eat Sage in May. Sage is carried to promote wisdom, and the leaves are used in countless healing and money spells. To guard yourself against contracting the dreaded evil eye wear a small horn filled with sage. There are a few curious gardening tips concerning sage: first, it is bad luck to plant sage in your own garden; a stranger should be found to do the work. Second, a full bed of sage brings ill luck, so ensure that some other plant shares the plot. Incidentally, toads love sage. If you desire to make a wish come true, write it on a sage leaf and hide it beneath your pillow. For three nights sleep upon it. If once you dream of what you desire your wish will be materialized; if not, bury the sage in the ground so that you do not come to harm. Sage is used for fertility, longevity, wishes, wisdom, protection, money attraction, purification, healing, and health magick. Sage that is being gathered for magickal use should not be cut with a metal knife or athame. It is said that if you eat Sage you will become more wise and also immortal. Sage is often an herb used at handfastings since it will help bring about a long life and domestic virtue for the happy couple. Sage can be added to almost any healing spell. A good healing amulet may be made by putting a clove of garlic, a bit of eucalyptus and cinnamon, 2 pinches of sage and 1 pinch of saffron into a small blue bag. This bag can then be worn or carried to promote healing. Sage can also be placed in with tarot cards or runes to protect them and keep them clean. Sage can be used for attracting money and for wish manifestations. One of the most common magickal uses of sage is as a purifier of sacred spaces, living areas, and magickal tools. Sage is often used as a main ingredient in smudge sticks and herb bundles. If you can gather and dry your own wild sage for smudging, do so. Native Americans believe that sage should never be bought or sold, as this ruins the spirituality of the herb. To purify a house of unwanted spirits or energy, just light a spring of dried sage and carry from room to room, visualizing any negativity being replaced by the purifying fragrance of the sage. Another way to do this is to burn sage in an incense bowl and then brush the smoke around the room by using a feather as a fan. Sage is used in sachets and amulets for all healing wishes and also burned or placed near a personal object of thep erson for whom the healing wish is made. It is burned and the smoke is walked to the four corners of the room to repel and rid negative energies and influences. It is especially good when moving into a new home. It can also be used to help meditation. *Herbal and Culinary Uses: Sage is used as a spice in many recipes (often in Thanksgiving turkey stuffing) as well as sauces. In Italy, the fresh leaves are fried with liver and rolled up with ham and veal in saltimbocca. In Germany and Belgium the leaves are added to eel and other oily fish dishes. The Middle Eastern countries the leaves are used liberally in salads. Sage can be used as a tea to aid in digestion, and to relieve the discomfort of measles, dizziness, colds, fever, and headaches. An infusion can be made with sage and honey and used as a mouthwash to help cure mouth sores and sore throats. A strong wash will help in cases of skin ulcers, rashes and dandruff. It acts as a stimulating tonic to the digestive tract or nervous system. Rub fresh sage leaves on the teeth to whiten and clean them. Leaves can be strewn in bathwater and in rinsewater to enhance dark hair. Sage is also used as an insect repellent, sending away flies and, in the garden, cabbage moths and carrot flies. It attracts bees, and the result is a very aromatic honey. *Medicinal Uses: antihydrotic, antispasmodic, astringent. The genus name for sage, Salvia, comes from the Latin word meaning to heal. Sages best known effect is the reduction or perspiration, which usually begins about 2 hours after taking sage tea or tincture and may last for several days. This property makes it useful for night sweats, such as those common with tuberculosis. A nursing mother whose child has been weaned can take sage tea for a few days to help stop the flow of milk. The tea has also been prescribed for nervous conditions, trembling, depression, and menorrhea, and amenorrhea. As an atringent, it can be used for diarrhea, gastritis, and enteritis. As a gargle, the tea is good for sore throat, laryngitis, and tonsillitis. It also helps to eliminate mucous congestion in the respiratory passages and the stomach. There is also compelling new research indicating that sage may be of value to people with diabetes. Laboratory studies indicate that sage may boost insulins action. Sage was among 24 herbs tested that were found to boost insulin activity two- to fivefold or more in patients with Type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetes. For people who have diabetes, this means that drinking sage tea in conjunction with their insulin treatments is worth a try. If you have diabetes, it is best to discuss using sage with your doctor before doing so. Finally, crushed fresh sage leaves can be used as a first aid for insect bites. *Brief Healing History: The ancient Greeks and Romans first used sage as a meat preservative. They also believed that like another powerful preservative, rosemary, it could enhance memory. The Roman naturalist Pliny prescribed it for snakebite, epilepsy, intestinal worms, chest ailments, and mestruation problems. The Greek physician Dioscorides considered it a diuretic and menstruation promoter and recommended sage leaves as bandages for wounds. Around the 10th century, Arab physicians believed that sage extended life to the point of immortality. Around the year 1000, an Icelandic herbal recommended sage for bladder infections and kidney stones. During the 16th century, the Dutch explorers introduced sage to the Chinese, who prized the herb so highly that they gladly traded 3 pounds of their own tea for each pound of the new European healer. Chinese physicians used sage to treat insomnia, depression, gastrointestinal distress, mental illness, menstrual complaints, and nipple inflammation (mastitis) in nursing mothers. Indias ayurvedic doctors prescribed it for those conditions and others, including hemorrhoids, gonorrhea, vaginitis, and eye disorders. Sage The King of the Kitchen by Leslie Coons Sage carries a history as rich as the flavor it brings to food. Botanically known as salvia, sage has been treasured since ancient times for its medicinal properties. Today, its a traditional addition to poultry and game stuffing, pork and cheese and is thought by many to contain properties that aid in the digestion of fatty foods. Roman historian Pliny the Elder first used the name salvia in his Natural History of the vegetable kingdom. The term derives from salvare (meaning to heal or save) and refers to the plants believed medicinal values. In the 16th century, noted English herbalist John Gerard wrote that sage is singularly good for the head and brain; it quickeneth the senses of memory. The International Herb Association chose sage as its Herb of the Year for 2001 because of its culinary, medicinal and ornamental properties. With its two-lipped flowers, square stems and opposite leaves, sage is considered a member of the mint family. There are more than 900 species of salvia and hundreds more cultivated and natural hybrids, according to Betsy Clebsch, author of A Book of Salvias: Sages for Every Garden (Timber Press, 1997.) Not all salvias are appropriate for culinary use, and quite a few are not hardy enough to survive cold winters. Most common among the culinary sages is garden sage, known botanically as Salvia officinalis. Hardy enough to grow in most of North America as a perennial, the subshrub has woody, wiry, square stems and pebble-grained grayish leaves. Its the sage most often found in dried poultry mixes. Other varieties of S. officinalis worth trying in the kitchen include Berggarten sage, with broad, round blue-green leaves and Purpurea, or purple sage, with reddish-purple leaves. Given full sun, good air circulation and well-drained soil, S. officinalis is generally an easy plant to grow. It also comes in gold (Aurea), green and yellow (Icterina) and white, purple and green (Tricolor) forms. All three, while attractive, are often not hardy in colder regions and draw mixed reviews as to their culinary usefulness. Another type of sage, Salvia elegans, has special value on the dessert table. Varieties include pineapple sage, a three-foot-tall plant with sweet, pineapple-scented leaves and scarlet flowers, and dwarf, or honeydew melon sage, which is believed to be a smaller version of pineapple. A recent introduction, tangerine sage, has leaves with a citrus overtone and deeper red flowers. Leaves of S. elegans can be used in teas and other beverages, or finely chopped into salads and dessert batters. The flowers work nicely as a garnish and add color to cookie and cake batters. S. elegans is generally not hardy enough to survive cold winters, and gardeners must either grow cuttings inside over the winter, or buy new plants each spring. Although the flavor of sage is most intense when fresh, nearly all varieties of S. elegans and especially, S. officinalis, keep their scent well when dried. Stored in an airtight container in a dry, cool location, the dried herbs will help sage-hungry cooks survive until the next growing season.
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 04:37:08 +0000
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