S & J Nursery’s Sage Varieties / Cultivars for Northeast Florida Herb Gardens
Salvia Officinalis herb plants are natives of the Mediterranean and Asia Minor. The word Salvia comes from the Latin word ‘salvere’, translated means to save or to heal, and Salvia officinalis has long been grown for that purpose. The word officinalis also references the plant’s medicinal qualities, the ‘officina’ was the name traditional used for the store room of a monastery where healing medicines were stored.
Medicinal Uses of Sage Varieties or Cultivars through the Years
Medicinally, sage has been used in warding off evil, treatment of respiratory ailments, mouth sores, stomach ailments, snakebite, anesthetic for the skin, and many more. It has antibiotic, anti fungal, astringent, and antispasmodic qualities. That’s quite a few claims for such a pretty addition to the herb garden. It is said that through the years sage has been included in remedies to treat just about everything. It is said to be one of the ingredients in the four thieves vinegar, that saved them from the plague as they robbed the bodies of the dead. University of Florida’s Horticulture page, linked at the bottom of the page, says an ancient proverb on sage states, “Why should a man die with sage in his garden?”
Culinary Uses of Sage Varieties or Cultivars
Culinary uses for sage plants have been around just as long as there have been stories of it’s healing properties. Like the words of the folk song ‘Scarborough Fair”- parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, are all repeated themes in the culinary world.
Sage is a strongly aromatic and heavily flavored herb, so strong that usually a single leaf will do for any kitchen creation. Used commonly to add it’s unique flavor to salads, meat and vegetable dishes, and used fresh or dried as a tea in herbal vinegar preparations.
But even with all of those useful reasons for using salvia officinalis, my personal favorite, seeing as this is Florida, breeding ground to happy mosquito’s everywhere, is sages use as an insect repellant. Rub crushed sage leaves on your skin and those nasty little buggers will leave you alone!
Sage Varieties or Cultivars for Northeast Florida Jacksonville and St Augustine area gardens
Many forms or varieties are available today, each with their own unique characteristics and common uses.
Berggarten Sage is a selected cultivar of the culinary herb Salvia Officinalis. Selected and propagated for it’s decorative, large, rounded leaves, Berggarten sage makes a beautiful landscape plant for the Northeast Florida, Jacksonville and St. Augustine area garden.
Icterna Golden Variegated
Purple Sage
Tricolor Sage