Sage is the dried leaf of Salvia officinalis. It is a hardy sub-shrub. Stems are white, wooly, 32-60 cm tall, leaves are greyish green, aromatic, petiolate, oblong, 7-8 cm long. On drying, leaves turns silvery grey with soft velvety texture. The flowers are blue, purple, or white in simple racemes.
Sage thrives well in rich clayey and loamy soil. A hot and dry climate is not suitable for its cultivation
Sage is used as a mild tonic, astringent and carminative. It is diaphoretic and anti-pyretic. Sage oil is used in perfumes as a deodorant. Sage and sage oil exhibit anti-oxidant properties.