Salvia sclarea
Clary sage
Common names: Clary
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 40 cm, rows 50 cm
- Lifespan
- Biennial
- Sowing
- Mar–May
- Harvest
- Jun–Aug
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −15 °C
- Water need
- Low
Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
Description
Salvia sclarea, commonly known as clary sage, is a hardy biennial shrub in the mint family. In its second year it produces large, branched inflorescences of pink to violet flowers. The plant emits a spicy, nutmeg‑like aroma that attracts bees and bumblebees. It features silvery, hairy foliage and tall flower spikes, making it an eye‑catching addition to perennial beds.
Care instructions
Plant in full sun on well‑drained, somewhat sandy or loamy soil. In the first year it forms only a basal rosette; water young plants moderately and avoid waterlogging. In the second year it sends up tall flower spikes; a post‑flowering prune keeps the plant compact and often encourages a shorter, second flush. As a biennial, the plant dies after seed set; leave a few plants to self‑seed if desired. In very cold sites, mulch with straw for winter protection; in milder climates it usually survives without additional protection.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
SowingMar–May
HarvestJun–Aug
Germination
- Soil temperature
- from 12 °C, ideally 20 °C
- Days to sprout
- 10 to 21 days
- Light
- Sprouts in light or dark
- Sowing depth
- 0.5 cm
- How to start
- Start indoors, then plant out
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, lime-loving, lean, dry
Clary sage likes it lean and well-drained; waterlogged soil quickly makes the roots rot. A sunny spot with calcareous, sandy to stony soil is closest to the plant's Mediterranean home. Soils that are too rich in nutrients lead to a lot of leaf mass, but little aroma and stability.
Feeding
Light feeder
Clary sage needs hardly any feeding; a thin dose of compost in spring is entirely enough. Too much organic fertiliser makes the shoots soft and prone to rot. The plant thrives best if you keep it rather short than spoil it.
Overwintering
Clary sage is biennial and forms a leaf rosette in the first year, which with a little luck survives the winter. In mild areas, winter protection of brushwood or leaves over the rosette is enough. In harsh areas or on heavy, damp soils, the plant often does not survive the winter; then it is worth sowing anew each year.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
- Cuttings
Sowing is easiest directly outdoors from mid-April to May · weeks 16 to 20, as clary sage is a light-germinating seed and the seeds should only be pressed down lightly. Starting it on the windowsill from March · weeks 9 to 12 gives the plant a head start in the first year. Alternatively, in summer you can take semi-ripe tip cuttings and root them. Since the plant also self-seeds under good conditions, you will often find young plants near the mother plant the following year.
Companion planting
Good neighbors
nightshade family (Solanaceae)
particularly well establishedYou will find that basil next to tomato and pepper improves taste and keeps whiteflies and aphids away.
For example PotatoTomatoSweet pepperCocktail tomatoEggplantCape gooseberry and 14 more species in the catalogue
Source: classic companion planting (DACH-Gartenpraxis)
cabbage family (Brassicaceae)
You will notice that the intense scent of basil, thyme, and others confuses the cabbage whitefly and keeps it away from the cabbage family.
For example White cabbageKohlrabiRadishKalebroccolicauliflower and 41 more species in the catalogue
Source: bio-gardening intercropping practice
Companion planting is partly traditional gardening lore. Where the reason is known, it is given.
Some of these explanations were machine-translated.
For your garden
Grow Clary sage yourself
Gartenkern tells you when frost is coming, when to sow and when to harvest, for your location.
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