Sage (සේජ්)

Sage (Salvia officinalis), also called common sage or garden sage, aromatic herb of the mint family (Lamiaceae) cultivated for its pungent leaves. Sage is native to the Mediterranean region and is used fresh or dried as a flavouring in many foods, particularly in stuffings for poultry and pork and sausages. Some varieties are also grown as ornamentals for their attractive leaves and flowers. Several other species of the genus Salvia are also known as sage.

Flower : lavender colour most common, though they can also be white, pink, or purple.

Edible parts : Leaves

Ayurvedic usage : Culinary use where sage Is one of the one of the essential herbs. It has a savory, slightly peppery flavor. In Italian cuisine, it is an essential condiment for saltimbocca and other dishes, favored with fish. In British and American cooking, it is traditionally served as sage and onion stuffing, an accompaniment to roast turkey or chicken at Christmas or Thanksgiving Day. Other dishes include pork casserole, Sage Derby cheese and Lincolnshire sausages. Despite the common use of traditional and available herbs in French cuisine, sage never found favor there.In the Levant and Egypt it is commonly used as a flavor for hot black tea, or boiled and served as an herbal drink in its own right.

Used as an essential oil and medical research where it has effects on human brain function, but due to significant methodological problems, no firm conclusions can be drawn

Height : 2 ft (0.61 m)

Leaves : oblong, ranging in size up to 2.5 in (6.4 cm) long by 1 in (2.5 cm) wide. Leaves are grey-green, rugose on the upper side, and nearly white underneath due to the many short soft hairs. Modern cultivars include leaves with purple, rose, cream, and yellow in many variegated combinations