This is Salvia or Sage for sure, but what kind?
I know this is Salvia (Sage) from the mint family, but what kind of Salvia is this? Is this just an ornamental garden sage or a herb which is possible to use in cooking? Is it good for health? How else would you use this type of sage? Thanks a lot in advance!
Salvia
This is Salvia greggii, a perennial grown for its flowers, drought resistance and deer resistance. So, not the culinary (vulgaris) species. Popular cultivars are ‘Furman’s Red’, ‘Wild Thing’, and ‘Ultra Violet’. Likes lots of sunshine and very well drained soil. Not reliably hardy where I live (Colorado Springs) USDA zone4 & about 6900′. Does make it through the winters around Denver and also in Pueblo. Doesn’t like damp winter conditions and the stems can be very brittle.
Thank you for such a complete answer! I thought it was Salvia microphylla
Looks like blackcurrant sage, smells much better than it tastes!
I think it is Salvia microphylla. Epling distinguishes between the two by the Salvia microphylla leaves, which have serrated edges, compared to the narrow, elliptic, and smooth-edged Salvia greggii leaves — and by a pair of papillae inside the Salvia microphylla corolla.
In the U.S. it is sometimes called “Graham’s sage”.
