Salvia sclarea: Uses (Ethnobotany)
Seeds used to clear the sight and reduce inflammation of the eye. The plant has also been used for its antispasmodic, astringent, properties and to reduce flatulence.
Plant Profile: Salvia sclarea
Taxonomy: Salvia sclareaNames
Clary Sage, Clear Eye, Europe Sage, Eyebright
Phonetic Spelling:SAL-vee-ah sklah-RAY-ah
Genus:Salvia
Species:sclarea
Family:Lamiaceae
Clary sage is a biennial or short-lived herbaceous perennial belonging to the Lamiaceae family. This plant is well-suited to withstand drought conditions and can thrive in shallow, rocky soils. Its striking flowers, which are fragrant and display a lovely white-lavender hue, bloom from June to August. Clary sage is relatively easy to cultivate, preferring average, well-drained soils and full sunlight. It also flourishes in light, gravelly, or sandy soils that offer good drainage. While it is drought-resistant, it is important to avoid overly wet conditions during the winter months. Additionally, overly rich and heavily fertilized soils can lead to tall plants that produce fewer flowers.
For further details on Salvia, please refer to additional resources.
Salvia sclarea Feature Summary
Tags
#showy flowers
#fragrant flowers
#edible plant
#wildlife plant
#pink flowers
#nectar plant
#medicinal
#rabbit resistant
#cpp
#well-drained soil
#neutral ph
#deer resistant
#lavender flowers
#Mediterranean
#self-seeding
#alkaline soil tolerant
#pollinator plant
#sandy soils tolerant
#rocky soils tolerant
#butterfly friendly
#bee friendly
Similar Plants
Salvia sclarea Feature Summary
Attributes
Seeds used to clear the sight and reduce inflammation of the eye. The plant has also been used for its antispasmodic, astringent, properties and to reduce flatulence.
Mediterranean region of southern Europe to Central Asia
Flowers attract native bees and butterflies. This plant is resistant to damage by deer.
Leaves are delicious in omelets, fritters, and stews; flavoring of beers and wines; oil.
Biennial
Wildlife Food Source
Flowers
Two-lipped white to lavender flowers surrounded by mauve-pink bracts, large whorls of 4 to 6 flowers in upright panicles above the foliage.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Cream/Tan
Panicle
Fragrant
Showy
Long-lasting
Spring
Summer
fused petals
Tubular
Lipped
< 1 inch
Leaves
Basal rosette of fragrant grey-green wrinkled leaves
Broadleaf Evergreen
Green
Gray/Silver
Simple
Whorled
Ovate
Dentate
> 6 inches
Soft
Velvety
Fragrant
3-6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Edible
Herbaceous Perennial
Herb
Broadleaf Evergreen
Multi-stemmed
Erect
Mounding
Clumping
Medium
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Fruit
Brown/Copper
Cream/Tan
Summer
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Stem
Green
Square
Not Conspicuous
C-shaped, Cresent shaped
Landscape
Edible Garden
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Cottage Garden
Border
Small groups
Drought
Deer
Rabbits
Dry Soil
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Pollinators
Bees
Specialized Bees
Salvia sclarea Image Gallery
Salvia sclarea Attributes
Salvia sclarea: Country Or Region Of Origin
Mediterranean region of southern Europe to Central Asia
Salvia sclarea: Wildlife Value
Flowers attract native bees and butterflies. This plant is resistant to damage by deer.
Salvia sclarea: Edibility
Leaves are delicious in omelets, fritters, and stews; flavoring of beers and wines; oil.
Salvia sclarea: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Salvia sclarea: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Salvia sclarea: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Salvia sclarea Flowers
Salvia sclarea: Flower Description
Two-lipped white to lavender flowers surrounded by mauve-pink bracts, large whorls of 4 to 6 flowers in upright panicles above the foliage.
Salvia sclarea: Flower Color
Cream/Tan
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Salvia sclarea: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Salvia sclarea: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Salvia sclarea: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Salvia sclarea: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Salvia sclarea: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Salvia sclarea: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Salvia sclarea Leaves
Salvia sclarea: Leaf Description
Basal rosette of fragrant grey-green wrinkled leaves
Salvia sclarea: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Salvia sclarea: Leaf Color
Gray/Silver
Green
Salvia sclarea: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Salvia sclarea: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Salvia sclarea: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Salvia sclarea: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Salvia sclarea: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Salvia sclarea: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Salvia sclarea: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Salvia sclarea: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Salvia sclarea: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Salvia sclarea Whole Plant Traits
Salvia sclarea: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Salvia sclarea: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Salvia sclarea: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Salvia sclarea: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Salvia sclarea: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Salvia sclarea Cultural Conditions
Salvia sclarea: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Salvia sclarea: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Salvia sclarea: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Salvia sclarea: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Salvia sclarea: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Salvia sclarea: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Salvia sclarea: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Salvia sclarea Fruit
Salvia sclarea: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Cream/Tan
Salvia sclarea: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Salvia sclarea: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Salvia sclarea: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Salvia sclarea Stem
Salvia sclarea: Stem Color
Green
Salvia sclarea: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Salvia sclarea: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Salvia sclarea: Stem Lenticels
Conspicuous
Not Conspicuous
Salvia sclarea: Stem Leaf Scar Shape
C-shaped, Cresent shaped
Encircles a bud
Heart or shield shaped
Round
Salvia sclarea Landscape
Salvia sclarea: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Salvia sclarea: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Salvia sclarea: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Salvia sclarea: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Salvia sclarea: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
