How to Plant and Grow Clary Sage

Salvia sclarea

Clary sage, Salvia sclarea, is a biennial or short-lived perennial aromatic herb native to Mediterranean Europe and Central Asia.

It is a Lamiaceae or mint family member suited to USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9 that produces upright panicles of tiny flowers in showy petal-like bracts that attract bees and butterflies.

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Unfortunately, clary sage is considered invasive in northern and central regions of the United States, including Washington, where its sprawl displaces native grassland flora.

In Zones where it is not unwelcome, commercial and home growers value S. sclarea for its essential oils used in culinary and medicinal applications, and its ornamental appeal.

This article discusses all you need to know to grow and care for clary sage.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Clary sage has an upright, branching growth habit and a long taproot. In the first year of cultivation it grows a basal mound of gray-green, wrinkled, soft, hairy foliage.

In the second year, square stems, typical of mint family members, rise from the leafy rosettes bearing erect clusters of white to lavender tubular, two-lipped blossoms inside showy white to purplish-pink bracts.

They bloom from late spring through early summer. Mature dimensions are two to four feet tall and two to three feet wide.

The flowers, foliage, and seeds contain essential oils with a strong earthy, herbaceous, floral odor that are extracted and used as an alcoholic beverage flavor enhancer and a fragrance stabilizer for aromatherapy products, laundry detergents, perfumes, soaps, and shampoos.

This type is a one- to two-foot tall annual with numerous cultivated varieties and bold, prominently veined blue, pink, or white bracts, and a history of use as an antiseptic.

Alternative names used today include clear eye, eyebright, and Europe sage. 

In addition to medicinal use, the flowers and leaves are suited to culinary applications, such as garnishes, brewed tea, and liqueur and oil infusions.

Many gardeners appreciate these plants for their ornamental qualities. Fresh cut stems last up to 10 days in a vase arrangement when the water is changed daily. They also make excellent dry bouquets.

How to Grow

It’s easy to grow clary sage successfully when you provide the right conditions. It thrives in full sun locations in Zones 5 to 9.

Soil

S. sclarea prefers average, sandy, rocky soil, so avoid overly fertile plots. The ideal pH is 6.0 to 7.0.

Excellent drainage is essential because clary sage has no tolerance for standing water, especially during the winter.

Water

Moisture needs are moderate. Provide an inch of water per week in the absence of rain. Once established, clary sage has above-average drought tolerance.

Companion Planting

Suitable garden companions are borage, cabbage, carrots, lavender, poppies, and rosemary.

Not only do they share cultural requirements for soil, sun, and water, but the strong aroma of clary sage deters pests that feed on these crops.

Avoid planting clary sage near cucumbers, fennel, garlic, and onions, as it may stunt their growth and adversely affect the flavor of these veggies.

To curb unwanted sprawl, deadhead entire flower stems as the color begins to fade and before they set seed.

Where to Buy

You can often find clary sage for sale at your local garden center or plant nursery, as well as online.

Clary Sage

Earthbeat seeds offers the species plant in packets of 50 seeds.

Vatican White

‘Vatican White’ is a stunning cultivated variety for Zones 4 to 10 that dramatically changes nature’s original color scheme.

Pure white blooms light up late spring through early summer landscapes.

Mature heights are two to three feet tall with a spread of one to two feet.

Propagation

Propagation methods include starting from seeds, cuttings, or nursery transplants. Let’s talk about each.

From Seed

Purchase seeds or collect them from the dry, brown pods of existing plants at summer’s end.

Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last average frost date for your region to get a jumpstart on the growing season.

Here’s how:

1. Fill a seed starter tray three-quarters full of all-purpose potting soil. 
2. Sow one or two seeds a quarter of an inch deep in each cell and cover them lightly with soil.
3. Water and place the tray in bright, indirect sunlight.
4. Keep the soil evenly moist but not oversaturated.
5. Maintain a temperature between 65 and 70°F, using a heat mat if necessary.
6. Thin the seedlings to one per cell when they each have their first set of true leaves.

Acclimate them to the outdoors for a few hours each day for a week before transplanting them into the ground.

From Cuttings

You can take cuttings from soft, non-flowering stems in the spring.

Here’s how:

1. Sanitize pruners with a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach, rinse, and dry.
2. Select a stem and cut it just below a leaf node, about six inches from the tip. A leaf node is a natural growing point that readily sprouts roots.
3. Snip off the lower leaves so there’s about two inches of bare stem at the bottom.
4. Dip the cut end in powdered rooting hormone.
5. Fill a four- to six-inch pot three-quarters full of all-purpose potting soil.
6. Make a two-inch hole in the center of the soil with a chopstick or pencil.
7. Insert the cut stem into the hole two inches deep and tamp the soil firmly to hold it in place.
8. Water and put the pot in a location with bright, indirect sunlight.
9. Maintain even moisture without letting the soil become oversaturated.

You’ll know the cutting has taken root when it starts to put out new aboveground growth.

Transplanting

Whether you’ve purchased nursery starts or grown your own, before transplanting, work the garden soil to a depth of six to eight inches until it is crumbly and free from debris.

Tamp the soil around them and water well.

Managing Pests and Disease

While not particularly prone to pests or disease, less than ideal growing conditions can render clary sage susceptible to both.

Pests

Aphids, leafhoppers, and spider mites are sapsucking insects that prefer dry conditions and feed on plant juices, leaving sticky trails of “honeydew,” a prime breeding ground for sooty mold.

Their activity may cause growth stunting, leaf drop, leaf yellowing, and overall decline if unchecked.

Treatment includes dislodging pests with a firm spray from the hose and applying neem oil.

Preventative measures include providing adequate water and weeding regularly to deter pests and remove competition for water and nutrients.

Slugs and snails are gastropods that can defoliate plants with one nocturnal feeding frenzy. They prefer dark areas where the foliage and soil are wet.

You can handpick slugs and snails at night, set out baits, or surround plants with copper strips to deter the pests. Avoid overwatering and poorly drained, shady planting sites.

Disease

Irregularly shaped, discolored lesions, often ringed in yellow, are symptoms of leaf spot. A gray fuzzy coating on the foliage is typical of powdery mildew.

Rust covers foliage in reddish, raised spores, and sooty mold gives leaves a blackened appearance.

To avoid fungal diseases, grow in full sun with well-draining soil. Space plants generously so air can circulate and dry excess moisture.

When watering, aim the hose nozzle at the soil over the root zone, not over the flowers, leaves, or stems.

Stem and root rot are likely in excessive wet soil and are especially common in winter.

Typical symptoms include wilting, stunting, foliar discoloration, and a failure to thrive.

The only way to be sure you’re dealing with root rot is by digging up the plant and examining the roots. Those affected are dark, malodorous, and slimy.

You may be able to salvage and replant unaffected healthy rootstock. Discard rotten portions in the trash.

Harvesting

Gardeners who grow clary sage as an ornamental can cut the flowering stems at their base to arrange in a vase of water with other fresh garden flora.

Those who cultivate this herb for culinary purposes enjoy “cut and come again” harvesting, plucking the tender young leaves from the stems, and individual flowers that are not quite fully open to brew into tea or garnish plates with flair.

Growers who want to use the essential oils of clary sage for aromatherapy, perfumery, and soapmaking harvest plants when blooming is ending, and the seeds are in the “milky” green stage.

According to the pros at Montana State University, most of the oil is in the flower stalks.

Controversial Clary

Gardeners in regions where clary sage is not invasive can enjoy plants for their ornamental value and their appeal to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

Do you grow clary sage? Have you seen it in the wild or on a commercial farm? Please tell us about it in the comments section below. 

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