Use fresh sage leaves for a medicinal tea.
The common sage plant is found in warm, temperate climates and adapts well to the backyard garden. Its leaves are grayish green and measure approximately 1 1/2 to 2 inches long. The plant grows to a height of approximately 12 inches, has a bushy habit and flowers in the warmest months, usually August. A perennial plant, common sage is used for companion planting, culinary purposes and medicinal purposes. The common sage plant is also used in the spiritual practice of smudging.
Companion Planting
Common sage wards off cabbage moths and carrot flies. Plant this herb near cabbages and carrots to provide pest control for those crops. Both tomato plants and cucumber plants, though, dislike sage; proximity results in slowed growth for the vegetables.
Culinary Applications
Harvested sage leaves add a savory, almost pungent flavor to roasting chickens and pork roasts. Place two to three fresh leaves in the cavity of a roasting chicken, along with sprigs of thyme and rosemary and a few slices of onion for a juicy, flavorful dish. For pork roasts, rub dried sage leaves over the roast before cooking to add richness to the meat. Use dried sage in stuffing, casseroles and savory soups as well.
Medicinal Uses
Sage holds numerous medicinal properties, including relief from menstrual cramps and sore throat and gums. Bruise two or three fresh leaves and steep in boiling water to make a medicinal tea. Bruise the leaves by laying them flat on a cutting board and pressing the back of a spoon onto the leaves while rubbing the spoon across the surface two or three times. This releases the oils. Sage tea relaxes the nerves and muscles to relieve cramping. Mix two bruised leaves with 1/2 cup of warm vinegar and 1/2 cup of cool water for a gargle to relieve sore throats or swollen gums.
Use in Spiritual Ceremony
Sage is used in the spiritual ritual known as smudging. Smudging is a ceremony in which sage is burned to rid a home or other personal environment of negativity or to purify a space. Place a small bundle of sage in a deep stone bowl or other appropriate vessel and light a small portion of it so the bundle smolders rather than flames. Carry the bowl with the smoking bundle throughout the space while asking the universe to cleanse the space, rid it of negativity and remove bad spirits.
Tags: common sage, sage leaves, approximately inches, common sage plant, dried sage, fresh leaves, pork roasts