Eyebright Salvia sclarea
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- SAL-vee-ah sklah-RAY-ah
- Description
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Clary sage is a biennial or short-lived herbaceous perennial in the Lamiaceae (mint) family native to the Mediterranean region of southern Europe to central Asia. The name Salvia is derived from the Latin term salveo, which means ‘be well’ and refers to the plant's medicinal properties.
This easy to grow plant reaches 2 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Plant in average, well-drained soils in full sun, and does well in light, gravelly, dry or sandy soils. Wet soil in winter should be avoided. It is drought-tolerant. Rich, excessively fertilized soils produce tall plants with few flowers. Propagate clary sage by seed.
The seeds have been used medicinally to reduce inflammation of the eye, and the fragrant leaves are edible and used as flavoring in food, beer, wine and oils. The flowers are fragrant, showy white-lavender blooms that appear from June to August.
Use clary sage in edible, herb, butterfly, pollinator, and cottage gardens. It is also good planted as a border or in small groups in a naturalized area. Clary sage is resistant to browsing by deer and rabbits and quite drought tolerant.
Insect, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Salvia
- Species:
- sclarea
- Family:
- Lamiaceae
- 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.
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Mediterranean region of southern Europe to Central Asia
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract native bees and butterflies. This plant is resistant to damage by deer.
- Edibility:
- Leaves are delicious in omelets, fritters, and stews; flavoring of beers and wines; oil.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Herb
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Erect
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- Very Dry
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Cream/Tan
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Schizocarp
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Schizocarp has 4 chambers with 1 nutlet each
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Cream/Tan
- Pink
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Lipped
- Tubular
- Flower Petals:
- fused petals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- 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.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Gray/Silver
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Soft
- Velvety
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Fragrant
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Whorled
- Leaf Shape:
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Hairs Present:
- Yes
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Basal rosette of fragrant grey-green wrinkled leaves
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Leaf Scar Shape:
- C-shaped, Cresent shaped
- Stem Lenticels:
- Not Conspicuous
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Edible Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Pollinators
- Specialized Bees
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Dry Soil
- Rabbits
