Tall garden plant with purple flowers. Help with ID please
I came across this interesting plant in one of the local street gardens. Does anybody know what this is? I liked the shape of the purple flowers. Very unique. It actually looks like three smaller flowers with hoods sharing one plate 🙂
The leaves are big and wide. The plant itself is quite tall.
Please, help me to identify this garden flower. I am sure it is something easy. Thank you.
Beautiful Salvia sclarea, also known as Clary or Clary sage. It is native to the northern Mediterranean Basin, along with some areas in north Africa and Central Asia.
The plant has a history as a medicinal herb, and is currently grown for its essential oil. Descriptions of medicinal use of the plant goes back to the writings of Theophrastus (4th century BCE), Dioscorides (1st century CE), and Pliny the Elder (1st century CE).
The distilled essential oil is used widely in perfumes and as a muscatel flavoring for vermouths, wines, and liqueurs. It is also used in aromatherapy.