Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Salvias are a whole genus of plants that belong to the Lamiaceae family and have more than 900 species to their credit. It is true that, when we talk about sage, we almost always refer to the Salvia officinalis, but in reality there are many more sage varieties, each with different characteristics.
If you want to learn more about these aromatic plants with beautiful floral spikes or how many types of salvias exist, join us in this Green Ecologist article in which we show you the names of 12 types of salvias, we talk about the specific characteristics of some of these species and we comment on their care and properties.
Salvia officinalis
The most recognizable of the salvias is the Salvia officinalis, a herbaceous plant typical of warm or temperate regions of much of the planet. In fact, it has its origin in the dry and rocky areas of the Mediterranean.
It is a perennial plant, of remarkably accelerated growth and of great rusticity, so much so that it practically does not need care once it is adult. In addition, it can grow to approximately 70 cm in height. The salvias leaves of this type they are of a color that can go from green to bluish gray and their flowers are between pink and lilac and of around 3 cm.
Salvia microphylla
The Salvia microphylla, also known as micro sage, pink sage or grenadine sage, among other names, is one of the garden salvias or more popular ornamentals thanks to the fact that its flowers are of great duration and permanence. It reaches heights of up to 1 meter, with thin stems and oval leaves of a green hue that can range from pale to light but intense green.
Its flowers appear between late summer and autumn, being one of the most appreciated among the salvias flowers for its bright fuchsia and carmine tones and for its ability to withstand temperatures down to -15 ºC. This plant also has an aroma similar to that of mint.
Guaranitica sage
Commonly known as blue sage, this species is a subshrub that grows to heights of up to 2 meters. The Guaranitica sage It is native to South America, which can be considered invasive due to its great lateral growth capacity.
Its leaves are rough and its flowers, formed in spikes of around 20 cm, are of different very striking bluish tones. The flowers grow from late summer to winter and, due to its appearance and growth, it is widely used to mark margins or borders in gardens.
Salvia splendens
It is known as sage banderilla due to its spikes, although it is also called red sage by the flowers of these spiky formations. The Salvia splendens It originates from some tropical areas of South America, especially Brazil, and rarely exceeds a height of 1 meter.
It is a plant that, although it behaves perennially in its natural habitat, tends to function as an annual plant in gardens and crops. It is highly appreciated for its incredible scarlet flowering, the color that the entire ear adopts, and that the plant gives from spring to autumn.
Salvia elegans
To Salvia elegans it is also called pineapple sage, cerro flower, lemongrass or sideways dogs. It is a plant that comes from Mexico and Guatemala and lives in high forest areas.
Its flowers are a feast for hummingbirds and butterflies. Its first common name is due to its smell, which is reminiscent of the American pineapple. Its aerial part dies when the first winter frosts arrive, but it sprouts again in spring. It is particularly digestive.
Other types of sage
There are a lot of types of sage in addition to those we have already mentioned. This is a list with some more salvias names:
- Sage leucantha
- Salvia greggii
- Sage apiana
- Salvia farinacea
- Sage
- Sage nemorosa
- Clary sage
Here below you can see the salvias images from this list in the same order.
Basic care of salvias
Salvias tend to be fairly hardy or rustic plants, but it helps to know what their general needs are. These are the salvias care:
- Light: indirect or sieved insolation and very abundant in most varieties.
- Weather: warm or temperate temperatures. Some resist frost.
- Location: aerated so that it does not suffer from rotting.
- Irrigation: moderate, every 48-72 hours in warm months and always without flooding. In this other post you can learn about When to water the plants.
- Substratum: light, well drained and, ideally, rich in nutrients.
- Pass: yes, in the warm and flowering months. Here we tell you how to make organic compost for plants.
Properties of salvias
What are salvias for? These plants can do much more for us in addition to simply beautifying our gardens and homes, and it is that salvias have proven beneficial properties. Y what properties does sage have? What are its benefits?
- Antibiotic
- Antiseptic
- Astringent.
- Febrifuge.
- Antioxidant
- Hypoglycemic.
- Tonic or mild stimulant.
- Digestive
- Carminative.
- Anti-inflammatory.
- Antispasmodic.
- Choleretic.
- Estrogenic, so it helps to calm the symptoms of climacteric.
- Emenagogue, which helps promote menstruation.
- Beneficial for skin and hair.
- Its beneficial properties for cognitive activity are being studied.
As you can see, it is a plant with enormous potential to improve our health and quality of life, suitable for a variety of ailments and ailments. Many medicines incorporate some of its components, but we can also benefit from it in the form of infusions and tonics that help us with poor digestion, skin irritation, an episode of anxiety or a particularly painful menstrual cycle, among many other things.
If you want to read more articles similar to Types of salvias, we recommend that you enter our category of Outdoor Plants.
Bibliography- Cebrián, J., (2012), Dictionary of medicinal plants, Barcelona, Spain, Integral RBA Libros.
