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Salvia officinalis

Common Sage · Culinary Sage · Golden Sage · Kitchen Sage

Family LamiaceaeGenus Salvia

Silvery furred oval leaves growing among rocks
LeafiNaturalist.org (Alina Majcen) (Alina%20Majcen)CC0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Herbaceous perennialPlant Finder
Habit
subshrubPlants of the World Online
Height
2-2.5 ft60-75 cmPlant Finder
Spread
2-2.5 ft60-75 cmPlant Finder
Flower
Showy; bluePlant Finder
Blooms
JunePlant Finder
Native range
Mediterranean and northern AfricaPlant Finder
Hardiness zones
4-8Plant Finder
Note
Fragrant leaves. Rots in soil that stays wet. Tolerates deer and drought.Plant Finder

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunPlant Finder
Soil
Average, dry to medium, well-drainedPlant Finder
Soil pH
Neutral (6.0-8.0)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Dry to mediumPlant Finder
Watering
Dry to mediumPlant Finder

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plant Finder — Missouri Botanical Garden; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension.

Worth knowing

  • Prized in the Middle Ages for healing, and sometimes called S. salvatrix, sage the savior. Charlemagne recommended it for cultivation. Wikipedia: Salvia officinalis

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

    Up in April.

No stated waiting before sowing.

94% germination.

94%, up in April. Sage is as easy as seed gets.

This source doesn't state how long step 1 lasts.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, SalviaPublic domain
Show the original text
Salvia (Lamiaceae). S. off icinalis (sage) germ. 92% in 5-12 d in either 70L or 70D, 40(74% in 5-12 w), and 94% in April in outdoor treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Salvia. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 24, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: either

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 12 days to germinate.

92% germination in 5–12 days.

92% inside a fortnight, light or dark.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, SalviaPublic domain
Show the original text
Salvia (Lamiaceae). S. off icinalis (sage) germ. 92% in 5-12 d in either 70L or 70D, 40(74% in 5-12 w), and 94% in April in outdoor treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Salvia. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 11, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 1, in 84 days.

74% germination in 35–84 days.

Cold works too, at seventy-four per cent and five times as slowly.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, SalviaPublic domain
Show the original text
Salvia (Lamiaceae). S. off icinalis (sage) germ. 92% in 5-12 d in either 70L or 70D, 40(74% in 5-12 w), and 94% in April in outdoor treatment.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Salvia. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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