Effect:
antispasmodic, strengthening, calming, estrogen-stimulating, appetite-stimulating, aromatic, astringent, balsamic, carminative, pectoral
Areas of application:
Headaches, digestive problems, flatulence, digestive disorders, menstrual pain, premenstrual problems, stomach and kidney problems, menopausal problems, hot flashes
Parts of the plant used:
Leaves, flowers
Collection time:
June to July
Can be found:
On rocky slopes, forests, fields and roadsides up to altitudes of 2000 meters.
Ingredients:
essential oil, sclareol
Other:
Clary sage is a biennial or perennial plant and can grow between 50 and 110 cm tall. It has a pleiocormic taproot. The stem is up to 1 cm thick. In the first year, the rosette of leaves develops and in the second year the inflorescence forms. The leaf blade of the large leaves is simple and heart-shaped, as well as grey hairy and the petiole is curly hairy. The leaf blade is rounded at the front or shortly pointed, irregularly notched at the edge and net-wrinkled on the surface. The leaves are loosely grey-felted on both sides or bare on the upper side and densely covered with sessile glands. The violet and pink bracts of the whorls are longer than the calyx. The inflorescence axes are covered with simple hairs and glandular hairs (muscatel smell). The hermaphrodite flowers are zygomorphic. They have shaggy stalks 2 to 3 millimetres long. The inflorescence consists of numerous whorls. They have 4 to 6 flowers and are united to form a loose to dense, 15 to 40 centimetre long, often paniculately branched inflorescence. The calyx is bell-shaped with short cilia on the edge, purple, wine-red or white. The calyx teeth are awned and sharp. The upper lip of the calyx is formed by a very small, pointed central tooth and 2 lanceolate, bristly to almost sharply awned lateral teeth. The lower lip of the calyx consists of two teeth separated by a deep, wide bay. The corolla is light blue, pink or purple. The corolla tube has a small scale on the inside of the belly. The upper lip of the corolla is slightly sickle-shaped. It is short-haired on the midline. The lower lip of the corolla has 2 pointed side lobes and a middle lobe that is widened at the front and finely toothed. It is yellowish. The flowering period is from June to July. (partly Wikipedia)
In the kitchen, the leaves and flowers can be eaten raw or cooked. In cooked dishes they are mainly used to add flavor, similar to sage. The flowers are used to flavor vermouth, and were previously added to other wines. The oil of the plant is used in the perfume and cosmetics industries.
Clary sage is considered both a weaker version of sage (Salvia officinalis) and an important herb in its own right.
The essential oil of clary sage is used in aromatherapy.