Spanish sage

Spanish sage: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Small, bushy sub-shrub 40 cm tall and 50 cm wide, with a woody base.

Leaves

Narrow lance-shaped to oblong, 2–4 cm, grey-green and softly hairy; evergreen.

Flower

Blue-purple to lilac flowers in loose spikes, in June–July.

Scent

Aromatic and fresh, with a slight lavender-like note.

Roots

Deep and branched: the plant tolerates drought, but not wet feet.

Flowering: June–July · Harvest and fruit: May–September · Plants: April–May · Pruning: April and July

Why grow it?

• Narrow, grey-green leaves that look good all year and give a silvery accent in the border.
• A milder flavour than common sage: good with meat, roasted vegetables and in herbal tea.
• The blue-purple flowers are a magnet for bees in June–July.
• Drought tolerant and undemanding in a warm, dry spot.
• Compact and pretty in a pot, a rock garden or as a low edging.

Spanish sage: where does it grow best?

• Full sun in a warm, sheltered spot.
• Free-draining, poor to moderately fertile soil: sand, loam or clay, neutral to chalky.
• Dry: wet clay, especially in winter, causes root rot. In heavy soil, mix in sand or grit.
• Allow 40–50 cm between plants.
• A spot against a south-facing wall or on a bank is ideal.

Light

Sun

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Neutral or chalky

Moisture

Dry

Size

0.4 m tall, 0.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -15 °C)

Goes well with

• Lavender: The same warm, dry spot and colourful flowers for bees.
• Rosemary: A sturdy, evergreen herb shrub with the same needs.
• Thyme: A low plant at the foot, also drought tolerant.
• Rock rose: A low flowering plant that likes the same dry, sunny soil.

Spanish sage: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May.

1. Plant in April–May, when the soil warms up and night frosts are over.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball; in heavy soil, mix sand or grit into the soil you dug out.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, 40–50 cm from the next, and firm the soil.
4. Water in generously; in the first year, water occasionally in dry spells.
5. Use grit or sand as a mulch, not a thick layer of compost.

Care

Water

In the first year, water in long dry spells. After that it is drought tolerant.

Feeding

Not needed, or at most a little compost in spring. Too much feed gives soft leaves and less flavour.

Harvesting

Pick young tips and leaves as needed, especially before flowering. Do not take too much in the first year.

Drying

Tie tips in small bunches and hang them in a dry, airy place; store the dry leaves in a sealed jar.

Replacing

After 5–6 years the plant becomes woody and bare; replace it with a young plant grown from cuttings.

Tip: A smaller sage with narrow, grey leaves and a milder flavour than common sage. Give it a sunny, dry spot: it does not tolerate wet soil in winter.

Spanish sage: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April and July.

When: In April, when new shoots appear, and lightly after flowering, in July.

How:

• In April, cut out frost damage and shorten the old stems to just above the young green buds.
• In July, cut off the faded spikes, taking a little of the shoot with them.
• Keep the plant compact: prune lightly every year and it stays dense and bushy.
• Use the trimmings in the kitchen.

Caution: Do not cut into bare, old wood: the plant seldom regrows from it.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Cuttings

In June–August: cuttings of 8–10 cm from semi-ripe shoots, lower leaves removed, in sandy compost. Roots in 4–6 weeks.

Sowing

In March–April in a seed tray, barely covered, at 15–20 °C. Germinates slowly. Prick out and move outside after the Ice Saints.

Spanish sage: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −15 °C: protect young plants.

• Hardy to about −15 °C: in most Belgian winters it can stay outside.
• Wet feet are more dangerous than cold: plant in free-draining soil or in a pot with drainage holes.
• In a pot: stand the pot sheltered against a wall, slightly raised, and protect the roots with hessian or bubble wrap.
• Cut out frost damage only in April, when you can see where the plant is growing again.

Diseases and pests

• Root rot: The plant yellows and dies on wet, heavy soil. Plant in free-draining soil or in a pot with drainage holes.
• Bare and woody: Without pruning the base becomes bare. Prune lightly every year and replace the plant after 5–6 years.
• Froghopper: White froth on the stems in spring. Harmless: rinse the froth off with water.
• Aphids: On young tips. Rinse off with water; ladybirds usually clear them up.

Through the year

• March: Sow under glass. Prepare the site.
• April: Plant. Cut out frost damage and prune lightly.
• May: Plant. Pick young tips.
• June: Flowering starts. Take cuttings.
• July: Flowering. Cut off faded spikes.
• August: Take cuttings. In dry spells, still water young plants.
• September: Last harvest and drying of leaves.
• November: Rest. Check that the soil does not stay too wet.

Edible and useful

Leaves (May–September)

Pick the narrow, grey-green leaves from May to September, ideally before flowering. Spanish sage tastes like common sage, but gentler, with a hint of lavender and rosemary. Use it like ordinary sage: in butter with pasta, with pork, chicken, squash and beans, or as a tea.

Storing

Sage dries well: hang small bunches upside down somewhere airy and dark and keep the leaves in a closed jar for up to a year. The plant stays green in mild winters, so you can pick a little in winter too.

Caution: In normal kitchen amounts, Spanish sage is safe. Do not drink a lot of the tea every day for weeks on end, nor during pregnancy or breastfeeding (sage reduces milk production). Never swallow the essential oil. Spanish sage wants a dry, poor spot in full sun.

Eating and using is at your own risk: see the terms of use.

Recipes

• Roast squash with sage brown butter (Dish · 4 people · 40 min)

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The species name lavandulifolia means ‘with lavender-like leaves’.
• Spanish sage belongs to the mint family, like lavender, rosemary and thyme.
• In the wild it grows on dry, chalky slopes in Spain.