Salvia carnosa

Douglas

Purple Sage

Lamiaceae Edible: Seeds

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Wikimedia Commons - Alex Abair

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Wikimedia Commons - Alex Abair

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Summary

Source: Wikipedia

Evergreen shrub reaching 0.8 m (2 ft 7 in) tall. Hardy to UK zone 7. In leaf all year; flowers July to August. Hermaphroditic, bee-pollinated. Prefers light sandy to medium loamy well-drained soils with mildly acid to basic pH. Requires full sun and tolerates dry or moist soil.

Description

Edible Uses

The seed can be cooked, ground into a powder, and used to thicken soups or added to cereal flours when making bread.

Medicinal Uses

A decoction of the seeds and stems is used to treat colds. A decoction or infusion of the leaves treats fevers, coughs, colds, and stomach aches. A poultice of crushed leaves can be applied to the chest to relieve congestion. A decoction of the leaves and stems can be drunk, applied as a wash, or used as a steam bath to treat headaches. A decoction of the flowering stems has been used as both a poultice and a wash to treat swollen leg veins. The plant is highly regarded as a treatment for epilepsy or fainting — it can be administered as a drink or prepared like tobacco with the smoke blown into the patient's face.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant.

Where It Grows

North America, USA,

Cultivation

Requires a very well-drained light sandy soil in a sunny position. Prefers a rich soil. Soils rich in nitrogen encourage excessive leaf growth at the expense of flowering. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation

Sow seed in March or April in a greenhouse; germination typically occurs within 2 weeks. Prick out seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and plant out in early summer. Where the plant is near the edge of its hardiness range, overwinter young plants under glass and plant out in late spring of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood can be taken at almost any point during the growing season.