Plant Details

Salvia officinalis

Sage

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Common names

46 names · 32 languages
EnglishYour language
  • Common Sage[1]
  • Culinary Sage[1]
  • garden sage[1]
+2 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (31)
Dutch
  • Echte salie[1]
  • Franse salie
  • Tuinsalie
French
  • Sauge officinale[1]
Afrikaans
Arabic
  • قصعين مخزني[1]
  • مريمية[1]
Catalan
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 药鼠尾草[1]
Chinese (Traditional)
  • 藥鼠尾草[1]
Croatian
  • Ljekovita kadulja[1]
  • Žalfija[1]
Czech
  • šalvěj lékařská[1]
Danish
  • Læge-salvie[1]
Estonian
Finnish
  • ryytisalvia[1]
German
  • Echter Salbei[1]
  • Garten-Salbei[1]
  • Heilsalbei[1]
+1 more nameShow fewer names
  • Küchensalbei[1]
Hebrew
  • מרווה רפואית[1]
Hungarian
  • kerti zsálya[1]
  • orvosi zsálya[1]
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Laadan
Lithuanian
  • Vaistinis šalavijas[1]
Norwegian
  • kryddersalvie[1]
Ojibwe
  • Mashkodewashk (bashkodejiibik, wiingwashk, nebwaakaad)[1]
Polish
  • Szałwia lekarska[1]
Portuguese
Russian
  • Шалфей лекарственный[1]
Slovak
  • šalvia lekárska[1]
Slovenian
Spanish
Swedish
  • kryddsalvia[1]
Turkish
  • Ada Çayı[1]
Ukrainian
  • Шавлія лікарська[1]
Sources & name notes (1)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Salvia officinalis — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • garden sage — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Sage — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Salvia — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Sálvia — results[0].names[5]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Golden Sage — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Echter Salbei — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Garten-Salbei — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Küchensalbei — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Heilsalbei — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • šalvěj lékařská — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Sauge officinale — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • kryddersalvie — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Salvia — results[0].names[14]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • ryytisalvia — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Шалфей лекарственный — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Vaistinis šalavijas — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Mashkodewashk (bashkodejiibik, wiingwashk, nebwaakaad) — results[0].names[18]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • مريمية — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • قصعين مخزني — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Salvia dulce — results[0].names[21]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • セージ — results[0].names[22]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • aedsalvei — results[0].names[23]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Culinary Sage — results[0].names[24]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • kryddsalvia — results[0].names[25]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Ljekovita kadulja — results[0].names[26]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Žalfija — results[0].names[27]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Echte salie — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • wothesh — results[0].names[29]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • 药鼠尾草 — results[0].names[30]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • 藥鼠尾草 — results[0].names[31]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Læge-salvie — results[0].names[32]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • žajbelj — results[0].names[33]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • מרווה רפואית — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • 살비아 — results[0].names[35]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • makkesalie — results[0].names[36]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • maksalie — results[0].names[37]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • sàlvia — results[0].names[38]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Шавлія лікарська — results[0].names[39]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • orvosi zsálya — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Szałwia lekarska — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • kerti zsálya — results[0].names[42]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Common Sage — results[0].names[43]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • šalvia lekárska — results[0].names[44]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.
  • Ada Çayı — results[0].names[45]; taxon id 51738; Salvia officinalis.

General information

Scientific name: Salvia officinalis
Accepted name (Kew): Salvia officinalis L. View name reference ↗

Accepted in the cited Kew taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1] [2]
Botanical family: Lamiaceae

Kew's family placement for the genus Salvia (WCVP v16).

Sources [1]
Also known as: Sage
Images: Google Images

Plant characteristics

Layer: Shrub
Catalogue size class: Small
Height: 0.3–0.61 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Spread: 0.61–0.91 m

NC State landscape size range; converted from feet and inches. Size varies with site, age and management.

Sources [3]
Growth rate: Moderate
Sources [3]
Foliage: Evergreen
Growth habit: Mounding, Spreading

Whole-plant habit and form as described by NC State.

Sources [3]
Life cycle: Perennial
Sources [3]

Growing conditions

USDA hardiness: 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b

USDA zones listed by NC State; winter survival does not establish reliable cropping.

Sources [3]
Soil moisture:
Well-drained, Occasionally Dry

Moisture and drainage conditions listed by NC State.

Sources [3]
Soil:
Loam (Silt), Sand, Shallow Rocky
Sources [3]
pH:
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Sources [3]
Light:
Full sun, Partial Shade
Sources [3]

Uses

Edible parts:
Leaves, Flowers, Condiment, Tea
Edibility rating:
(4)
Medicinal rating:
(5)
Functions:
Essential oil, Repellent, Ground cover, Fragrant

Description

Leaves and flowers can be eaten both raw and cooked. This herb, with strongly aromatic leaves, is often used as a flavoring in cooked dishes. It helps with digestion and is therefore often combined with heavy, fatty foods. It gives a sausage-like flavor to savory dishes. The young leaves and flowers are suitable for raw consumption, cooking, pickling, or as an addition to sandwiches. The flowers can also be sprinkled over salads to add color and fragrance. An herbal tea made from fresh or dried leaves is said to promote digestion. An essential oil from this plant is commercially used to flavor ice cream, candy, pastries, and other products.

Harvest

Harvest starts: 01/06
Harvest ends: 30/09

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants, version 16, extracted 4 June 2026
    Supports: Botanical familyTaxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 158665; name ID 181875; Salvia L.. Family column.
    • Taxonomy: WCVP v16, wcvp_names.csv row 1095328; name ID 183353; Salvia officinalis L..

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.

  2. Catalogue of Life Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Salvia officinalis

    Taxonomic data from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20.

    Supports: Taxonomy
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: COL 2026-08-20, NameUsage.tsv line 2436536, ID 6XH46: Salvia officinalis L. (accepted).

    Source checked on .

  3. NC State Extension, North Carolina State University Salvia officinalis — Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
    Supports: HeightSpreadGrowth rateGrowth habitLife cycleLightSoil moistureSoil textureSoil pHUSDA hardiness
    Relevant sections
    • Height: Dimensions > Height; Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
    • Spread: Dimensions > Width; Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Growth habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Soil moisture: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • USDA hardiness: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

    Source checked on .