Sage
Salvia officinalis
Also called Common sage and Garden sage
Garden plant · Herbs, veg & fruitGrey, felted leaves that hate sitting damp. Cut it back each spring before the new growth.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 8 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Full sun
- Feed
- Every 60 days
- Humidity
- Low
- Hardiness
- Hardy — a cold winter RHS H5, to -15°C
- Size
- 0.75 m tall · 0.75 m across
- Lifecycle
- Shrub
- Origin
- Mediterranean
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsSafe for pets
PeopleNothing recorded against it
Safe to eat: leaves.
Checked against ASPCA, RHS and Johnny's Selected Seeds on 2026-07-31.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
First signs of trouble
- Striped metallic beetles on the crown of the bush and ragged bites out of the newest grey leaves, from late summer onward.Rosemary beetle · pest
- A fine pale stippling over the upper leaf surface, and white cast skins stuck to the underside when the leaf is turned over.Sage leafhopper · pest