Clary

Salvia sclarea

Latin name Salvia sclarea - clary sage. Clary sage is a striking herbaceous plant that is classified both as biennial and perennial. Clary sage has been recognized for its essential oils and used extensively since well before the birth of Christ. Theophrastus, Dioscorides, and Pliny all wrote at length about its useful properties. In the wild, clary sage is found throughout the northern Mediterranean region, and in limited parts of north Africa and central Asia. This herb is commonly known as toute-bonne or sauge sclarée in France, sclarea in Italy, hierba de los ojos in Spain, and clary in Britain. Clary sage requires little water or attention and is adaptable to temperatures below 0°F (-18°C). This herb has become naturalized in central Europe.

An early summer blooming herb, clary sage can develop in a year's time from a seedling to a plant 3-4 ft (1-1.3 m) tall when in flower. Stems are square and covered with hairs and oil globules. Leaves vary in size from 1 ft (30 cm) in length at the bottom of the herb, to less than half that size at the top. They may be sessile or have a short petiole when growing at the top of the herb. The length of the petiole varies too. The leaf surface is rugose and covered with short hairs and oil globules. Grassy green in color on the surface, the underside has pronounced creamy white veins. The entire edge is saw-toothed. Flowers number between two and six in each verticil and are held in large, colorful floral bracts that are pale mauve to lilac floral or white to pink with a pink marking at the edge. The corolla is lilac or pale blue, about 1 in (2.5 cm) in length, and the lips are held wide open in the shape of a scythe. Occasionally, a form may be found in the wild with white flowers and white floral bracts tinged with pink. This is the cultivar 'Turkestanica' and will come true from seed.

Full sun, a soil low in nutrients, and fast drainage are needed for clary sage. Watering on a weekly basis will make herbs in a border flourish. Once flowers start to look shabby and tan at the edges, cut flowering stems back to encourage perennial vigor. This procedure precludes seed production and avoids large numbers of seedlings germinating at the base of plants. Even with this prudent practice, plants may be short-lived, so it is judicious to have a few young plants developing. Propagation is quite easily accomplished from seed.

Clary sage is not suitable as a cut flower because of the powerful odor of penetrating oils. These essential oils are widely used in making perfume and in imparting a muscatel flavor to wines, vermouths, and liqueurs. The oils are one source of the herb's healing qualities; seed is another. A long-standing usage of the seeds of clary sage is to place them in the eye, thus producing a thick mucilage. This practice is said to clean the eye of impurities. The name sclarea carries the connotation of clear and bright.

Clary sage is one of  most arresting border plants. In a bed filled with old fashioned, early summer blooming plants such as roses, foxgloves, Canterbury bells, hollyhocks, delphiniums, pinks, dill, fennel, larkspur, and love-in-a-mist, clary sage gives height and color for almost a full month. Clary sage will bloom even longer if inflorescences are cut when they begin to discolor. It is not unusual for plants to rebloom in early autumn when days are warm and nights cool.

Other names

• Clary Sage
• Clear Eye
• Muscatel Sage

Parts used

Aerial parts, seeds, essential oil.

Uses

An antispasmodic and aromatic plant, clary sage is used today mainly to treat digestive problems such as gas and indigestion; Clary is also regarded as a tonic, calming herb that helps relieve menstrual pain and premenstrual problems. Because of its estrogen-stimulating action, clary sage is most effective when levels of this hormone are low. The herb can therefore be a valuable remedy for complaints associated with menopause, particularly hot flashes.

A solution of clary seed has long been used to rid the eyes of foreign matter. An infusion of the leaves probably helps upset stomachs, as modern herbal healers believe, but there is no evidence to support claims that it alleviates kidney complaints. Clary is chiefly known for its aromatic oil, which is used in the manufacture of perfumes, soaps, and cosmetics. Chefs sometimes add clary to omelets and soups.

Habitat & cultivation

Native to southern Europe and the Middle East, clary sage is now cultivated in France and Russia for its essential oil. Clary prefers sunny conditions and dry soil. Clary is gathered in summer, usually in its second year.

Constituents

Clary sage contains 0.1 % volatile oil (consisting mainly of linalyl acetate and linalool), diterpenes, and tannins.

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