Virginia Tech Dendrology

common sage Lamiaceae Salvia officinalis L. symbol: SAOF2
Leaf: Opposite, simple, evergreen, narrowly elliptical to ovate in shape, to 5 inches in length; wrinkled, woolly-tomentose and gray-green above and below; very aromatic.
Flower: Species is monoecious; mostly purple but white and pink varieties exist, in whorls borne on upright spikes; individual flowers to 1/2 inch with pea-like corollas; very aromatic; appearing mid-summer.
Fruit: Small shiny brown-black nutlets borne in husks.
Twig: Green to gray-brown and pale-tomentose.
Bark: Becoming shreddy and gray-brown.
Form: A rounded straggling shrub to three feet tall with weakly woody stems.

Additional Range Information: Salvia officinalis is planted in the USDA hardiness zones shown above and may seed into the landscape. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information