How to Grow and Care for Sages

Baby sage is an evergreen shrub that is commonly found in Mexico and the Southwestern United States. This plant has distinctive leaves, which when crushed produce a pleasant scent that is a mixture of mint and black currant. Flowers are usually vibrant and range in color from light pink and rose to magenta and red.

Rosemary is a herb with pale flowers and evergreen leaves. It gives off a distinctive scent and is used in cooking as well as in the making of scented perfumes, soaps, and candles. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region where evidence of its use by humans dates back at least 7000 years.

Salvia officinalis, colloquially known as common sage, is an evergreen woody shrub that grows in dry and stony places. It has a long history of cultivation for culinary purposes as well as for its distinctive scent, which is now incorporated into candles, potpourri, and beauty products, often combined with lemon. Common sage's lovely purple flowers adorn many gardens and flower beds all over the world.

Pineapple sage (Salvia elegans) grows in naturalized clumps at woodland peripheries, including at high elevations. Its red flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The flowers of pineapple sage are edible, but appear very similar to those of Salvia coccinea, which are poisonous. It is safer to only use the flowers as potpourri rather than eating them.

The mealycup sage needs either full or partial sun in order to thrive. It can be an annual plant when grown in temperate climates and must be planted in times without frost in less temperate climates. There are a few varieties of mealycup sage, which can produce either violet, blue or white flowers.