Description
Salvia officinalis Purpurescens
Purple-leaved form of this well known culinary and medicinal herb. Sage breaks down oils and fats in meat, aiding digestion. It is often used with onions to make poultry stuffing, and to flavour rich meats. Flowers can be used in salads.
Sage is antibiotic, antiseptic and anticatarrhal. The volatile oils in sage soothe the mucous membranes and help to reduce inflammation of the mouth, throat and tonsils. It can be used as a mouthwash for sore gums or mouth ulcers or used in a compress to promote the healing of wounds, cuts and varicose veins, and to help relieve tension headaches. Cold sage tea helps to reduce the flow of bodily fluids and can be used to help treat diarrhea, to reduce night sweats in menopause, and to reduce milk flow when weaning. Sage tea is also believed to restore energy, calm the nerves, and aid memory and digestion, and can be used externally as a hair rinse to help reduce dandruff. Sage leaves were formerly rubbed over teeth to keep them white. Some sources say that the purple sage has the strongest medicinal properties.
Sage is a good companion plant for the vege garden as it is said to repel cabbage white butterfly and improve the flavour and digestibility of cabbages if planted near them. The flowers are also very attractive to bees. Sage can be used as a ground cover plant for sunny well drained sites.
9cm pot. Certified organic plant.
