A delightful little shrub with a moderate growth rate. I've seen one at a local Botanic Garden that has grown at least three feet high a...Read Morend is looking to keep on growing.
One of my favorite culinary sages, the mature foliage is a deep green, grows from a half inch to two inches, and has a satisfying fuzzy, rumpled texture. Depending on growing conditions and plant origin (it grows all over the northern coast of the Mediterranean in a variety of forms; several species were funneled into S. fruticosa with the help of rigorous observation), the leaves can pale with greater density of hairs. The juvenile foliage tends to have a prominent Lavender fragrance and somewhat scraggly appearance, but this is soon overgrown by deliciously spicy mature foliage.
The flowers are prototypical Mediterranean sage flowers, with a hooked upper lip and a downward-folding lower lip. The flower color can range from white to a deep violet, with a calyx that can vary from green to "oxblood red." They're said to attract bees, but they just can't compete with all the S. leucophylla, S. apiana and S. mellifera I have planted all over.
They can tolerate a huge variety of conditions, but seem happiest with good poor to moderately rich, draining soil and little to no shade.
Until you meet both S. fruticosa and S. officinalis close-up and properly labeled, one might find it hard to tell the two apart. In general, though, Dalmatian Sage has larger leaves in proportion to the overall size of the plant. I personally prefer Greek Sage for culinary use, but most professional chefs will side with Dalmatian Sage.
A delightful little shrub with a moderate growth rate. I've seen one at a local Botanic Garden that has grown at least three feet high a...Read More