What does sage look like and where does it grow?

Salvia officinalis is a perennial herbaceous plant whose natural habitat is the territory of Italy and southeastern Europe. Also, this species is ubiquitous on the territory of Ukraine and Russia, however, the plants of this geographical zone are mainly cultivars. Therefore, sage can often be found in many gardens and orchards.

Wild-growing forms also grow here, but in most cases only cultivated varieties of sage are found in the CIS.

Did you know?The healing and rejuvenating properties of sage have been seen since ancient Egypt. Therefore, the leaves of this plant were actively used as food by the ancient Egyptians (especially after serious epidemics).

Determining sage against the background of other vegetation is not so difficult. This species is 20-70 cm high, with a straight, powerful and branched stem, with a large number of characteristic leaves. The lower part of the stem is predominantly woody, the upper part is herbaceous. The root system is also powerful, it is characterized by a woody structure and rather serious branching. Stem leaves, opposite, 4 to 8 cm long, 1-1.5 cm wide. The leaf blade can be either pointed or slightly blunt, rounded or wedge-shaped at the base. The venation of the leaves is reticulate. The inflorescence of all representatives of the species is simple or branched. After the end of the flowering period, characteristic fruit-nuts appear on the plant, almost regular rounded shape.

Chemical composition

The chemical composition of this plant is quite rich. All parts of sage contain up to 2.5%. Also in the leaves of this species, a rather serious amount of tannins, alkanoids and flavanoids, ursolic and oleanolic acids, phenolcarboxylic acids were found. The fruits contain a large amount of fatty oil (up to 25%), which is linoleic acid glycerides. In addition, vitamins such as bitterness and phytoncides, which have an antibacterial effect, were found in the composition of the plant.

Did you know?The antibacterial effect of sage officinalis was noticed in ancient Rus'. Therefore, when any infectious disease was detected, the room where the patient lay, and himself, was plentifully fumigated with the smoke of this plant.

Medicinal properties and application

The pharmacological properties of sage are quite wide. Means prepared from leaves and stems have a disinfectant, astringent, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, hemostatic effect on the human body. In addition, plant extracts have emollient properties and, when properly dosed, can reduce perspiration. Quite often, sage preparations are used in pathological conditions, as they contribute to the overall strengthening of this department.

Did you know?In addition to the medical and cosmetic industries, sage is actively used in. Spicy grass can often be found in many meat dishes in Italian cuisine, and in the United States - as a spicy addition to soups and side dishes. In addition, for more than one century, the plant has been used as an indispensable food preservative.

Often, sage is prescribed for patients with gastritis, with inflammation of the gallbladder, since its active components not only prolong the period of remission, but also help restore the organs of the excretory system and the gastrointestinal tract. In the case of respiratory diseases, extracts from the leaves of this species are actively used as the main component for. Apply funds from sage and externally. For this, special decoctions are prepared, which are actively used for problems with the hairline. The combination of such an infusion with an extract makes it possible to overcome the main disease of office workers -.

Collection and preparation of medicinal raw materials

Many of our compatriots still do not know how to collect and dry sage. But in order for the prepared extracts, infusions and decoctions from it to really have a beneficial effect on the general and the person, the plant must be properly prepared. Only in this case, the raw material will store the maximum amount of all useful substances.

Leaves or upper flowering inflorescences are traditionally used as raw materials for harvesting. Harvesting can be carried out in several stages, however, if the plant was sown in the same year, then the collection begins in early autumn, in early September. In subsequent years, raw materials are harvested several times per season, but no more than 2-3 times during the growing season. At the first collection of the season, the necessary parts of the plant are carefully cut. At the end of the season, the stem is completely removed by cutting it at a height of about 10 cm from the soil.

Important!Sage belongs to the group of essential oil plants, so it should be dried at a temperature not exceeding +40 °C. Otherwise, the raw materials may lose their valuable substances, and with them a high therapeutic effect.

Dry sage in any dry, warm and well-ventilated place, away from direct sunlight. For these purposes, any secluded place available on the farm (attic, canopy) is suitable. You can create a special drying room, but this will require a lot of effort, time and money. Dried leaves and inflorescences are stored in a tightly closed glass container for 1 year.

Recipes for use in home cosmetology

For hair

Sage hair cosmetics are multicomponent products, so plant extracts can be used for almost any problem with this area of ​​the human body. Such products help to actively fight problematic hair growth, eliminate excessive oiliness, and are also the best nutritional basis for healthy growth. Here are the most popular recipes:

1. In order to eliminate problems with hair growth, it is customary for the people to prepare a special nourishing mask. For this, 2 tbsp. l. infusion of sage (in 2 parts of hot water insist 20 minutes 1 part of the herb) mixed with 2 tbsp. l. honey, then add to the mixture 1 tbsp. l. mustard powder. The resulting mask is rubbed into the hair roots for 25-30 minutes, then washed off with warm water.
2. When caring for oily hair, it is useful to use alcohol tinctures from sage. To do this, 0.5 l of vodka is mixed with 0.5 tbsp. l. apple cider vinegar. Next, add 7 tbsp. l. sage leaves, 15 tbsp. l. nettle leaves and insist everything in the refrigerator for 14 days. The resulting liquid is filtered and rubbed into the hair roots overnight. You can wash off the mask only in the morning.
3. To give shine, silkiness and strengthen the hair follicles, you should use a rinsing decoction of sage. It is prepared by infusing herbs in boiling water in a ratio of 1:2. After infusion for 30-60 minutes, the mixture is filtered and placed in the refrigerator. Rinse your hair after each wash (before use, a cold decoction can be slightly warmed up).

Important!Sage is a strong natural dye, so owners of blond hair should not use it. Otherwise, you can expect quite a serious darkening of the hair.

For skin

Nourishing from this plant is one of the best ways to rejuvenate the skin and make it soft and healthy looking. For this, the following cosmetics are prepared:

• decoction of sage leaves for problem skin: boil 6 tbsp. in 0.5 l of water for 20 minutes. l. sage. The decoction is filtered and used in the morning and evening by rubbing the liquid into the skin of the face thanks to a moistened cotton pad. This decoction perfectly helps to eliminate excessive oiliness of the skin and gives it a healthy color;
• rejuvenating ice: the decoction prepared according to the technology described above is filtered, poured into ice molds and frozen. The resulting cubes must be rubbed into the skin in the morning or evening. The systematic use of ice cubes helps to stop the process of new wrinkles and smooth out old ones;
• skin mask: 1 tbsp. l. dry grass should be poured with a glass of boiling water, insist until completely cooled, then strain and add 1 tsp. honey and 1 egg white. The mixture is applied to the face and kept for 15 minutes, after which it is washed off with warm water. This cosmetic product is ideal for daily care of normal and combination skin.

Did you know?Many centuries ago, sage was considered one of the most valuable plant species. Ancient Chinese navigators exchanged as many as 3 boxes of their valuable green tea for 1 box of this plant.

Recipes for use in traditional medicine

Preparing a medicine from sage is quite simple. That is why this plant does not lose its popularity in the modern highly developed pharmacological industry. In addition, the effect of such drugs cannot be compared with any therapy with artificial chemicals.

Essential oil

Sage essential oil has many positive properties, so it has been widely used for the treatment of respiratory tract and bronchitis, as a prophylactic for mass diseases of the population with acute respiratory viral infections. To do this, it is shown to carry out inhalations using 1-2 drops of oil per procedure. With violations of the menstrual cycle and menopause, sage oil helps to stabilize the processes in the body. To do this, 1 drop of oil is mixed with 2 drops and enclosed in a bread capsule. Such a remedy should be used no more than 3 times a day.

You can make your own essential oils. To do this, use the method of hot marcipation: dry raw materials are poured into a glass dish, which is poured with special oil for making infusions in an amount equal to 1/3 of the original volume of dry raw materials. The resulting mixture is infused in a water bath at low heat for 3-4 hours. After that, the liquid is cooled and carefully filtered.

Important!Oil with sage should be kept in a water bath at a temperature not exceeding +37 ° C, otherwise you will not get the expected therapeutic effect from the product.

Tea

From sage has many indications for use. However, in most cases it is used to increase the protective functions of the body and the general during the period of mass distribution. This should be brewed according to the same principle as the usual one: pour 250 ml of boiling water over one teaspoon. You can increase the effectiveness of this infusion by adding 1 tsp. .

Decoction

The most widely decoctions of sage officinalis have found their application in gynecology. The tool contributes to the active fight against cervical erosion, etc. For this, douching of the problem area with an aqueous extract of the herb is shown 2 times a day (morning and evening). To prepare it, you need 1 tbsp. l. crushed plant pour 250 ml of water and insist on a water bath for 15 minutes, then cool and strain.

This decoction is also great for stomatitis. To do this, rinse the problem area with a liquid at least 2 times a day. Few people know that inflammatory diseases can also be defeated with a decoction of sage, since the herb has not only a disinfectant, but also an anti-inflammatory property. Gargle should be at least 2-3 times a day. This procedure will perfectly help to cope with laryngitis and other diseases.

Infusion

An infusion of this plant is used to alleviate the flow of flatulence, with bronchitis and for choleretic purposes. To prepare the decoction correctly, 1 tbsp. l. leaves, pour 250 ml of boiling water, insist in a glass vessel with a tightly closed lid for 30 minutes, and then strain. Take this infusion should be 3-4 times a day, 50-75 ml 20 minutes before meals.

Alcohol tincture

Alcohol tincture of sage is one of the most effective medicines for. Also, many doctors advise taking such a remedy for older people to restore and stimulate the activity of the nervous system. For its preparation 3 tbsp. l. dried and crushed leaves should be infused in 0.5 liters of vodka for 1 month. The resulting infusion is carefully filtered and used 1 tbsp. l. on an empty stomach, drinking water, 1-2 times a day.

Important!It is necessary to use medicines containing sage extracts strictly after the recommendation of experienced specialists and only under the supervision of a doctor. Otherwise, you can aggravate your health condition.

Contraindications and precautions

Although the products prepared on the basis of sage leaves are characterized by many useful properties, there are many contraindications for the use of this type of plant. First of all, people with individual intolerance to the components of the herb and pregnant women should refuse to use products containing sage. Also, you should not use funds from this plant orally for inflammatory diseases of the kidneys and related systems. You should not use sage for problems with elevated estrogen levels, endometrial hyperplasia, tumors in the female genital organs and breasts. Sage is also contraindicated in epilepsy, after surgery, as well as hypertension, since the components of the plant can have a very negative impact on the general state of human health.

Today we told in detail what a herb such as sage is, and also analyzed the instructions for its use. It is worth noting that this is one of the most effective medicinal plants known to mankind. Therefore, this species has found its application in many branches of medicine and cosmetology. However, substances with a high content of sage extracts should be used with extreme caution, since an overdose of the body with the active substances of the herb can have a rather negative impact on overall health.

Sage is a pleasant-smelling herb that is often found in culinary recipes.

But it turns out that sage has truly unique healing properties.

Useful properties of sage

• Sage officinalis is anti-inflammatory, disinfectant, antimicrobial and astringent.
• It is used for diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
• Externally used for sore throat, mumps, gingivitis.
• It helps with inflammation of the gallbladder and liver.
• The leaves contain essential oil, tannins, resins, acids, bitterness, vitamins P, PP, mineral salts.

Leaves and tops of stems are used for harvesting raw materials. But unfortunately, sage is almost never found in the wild. But those who grow it on their plots should know the rules for harvesting it.

How and when is sage harvested

Sage is harvested in early summer, when its flowers are just beginning to bloom. For harvesting choose dry, sunny weather.

Plants must be clean. If there is dust on them, then they need to be rinsed with a hose or watering can and allowed to dry well.

Sage is a perennial plant, and it begins to bloom only in the second year of life. If the plant has never bloomed, then only the lower, well-formed leaves can be taken for drying.

And in a flowering plant, the leaves are cut off along with the upper part of the stem.

Before drying, the plants are sorted out, removing the lower stems, since they are coarse, almost stiff in sage and are not suitable for drying. Also remove browned leaves.

How to dry sage

The stems are collected in bunches, tied with a harsh thread and hung with flowers down in a dark, warm, dry place where there is good air circulation.

Also, plants can be laid out on linen or burlap and, as the top layer dries, carefully stir up raw materials to avoid rot.

Sage is a very fragrant plant, but if it is dried incorrectly, it acquires a musty smell. Therefore, it dries very quickly.

You can dry sage in dryers, but the temperature should not rise above 40 °, otherwise the essential oils will evaporate.

Finished raw materials should consist of whole or slightly broken leaves. It is not customary to grind sage leaves, because then they quickly lose their aroma.

Essential oils contained in the leaves and flowers of sage are of value in cooking and medicine. Dried crushed leaves are used as a seasoning for meat and vegetable dishes, and whole leaves and flowers are brewed as a tea. Growing sage in the garden during the growing season, the intensity and strength of the aroma changes. This happens because at different times a different amount of useful elements is concentrated in the plant. Therefore, the collection of sage for drying is not carried out all summer, but only at certain periods.

Summer collection of sage

At the beginning of summer, sage is most saturated with essential oils, and the leaves and flowers harvested at this time are most valued. The collection begins as soon as the inflorescences begin to bloom on the plant. For drying, intact dark green leaves are selected and plucked along with the cuttings. The inflorescences of the plant are also suitable for collection. Branches are cut off on which the lower flowers have already blossomed, and the upper ones are still in buds. If you cut off fully bloomed inflorescences, during drying, the lower petals will fall off, and the stems will remain bare from below, which have no real value.

The harvesting time lasts approximately 20 days. When the sage fades and the seeds begin to ripen, its collection stops. At this time, the leaves and stems of the plant coarsen, and the concentration of nutrients in them decreases. Ripe seeds fall on the soil, and they self-sow. After the next rain, the seeds will germinate and young plants will emerge from them.

Collecting sage in autumn

The second harvest begins at the end of September, when the plant has recovered from the summer heat. By this time, beautiful velvety leaves grow back on the sage bushes and flowers begin to bloom. The sprouted self-seeding plants will also come into force and form into strong young bushes. Harvesting is carried out in the same way as in the summer. In terms of value, the raw materials collected in the fall are not inferior to the summer collection.

Drying of the collected raw materials is carried out in the open air under a canopy so that the sun's rays do not fall on the plants spread with a thin layer. In autumn, it is more difficult to dry the green mass due to the lower temperature, therefore, when the leaves dry out a little, they are dried at home in the oven, setting the temperature in it to 60 ° C and opening the oven door.

It should be noted that, like all medicinal plants, sage is harvested away from highways and industrial production with emissions of harmful gases. Also, the collection point should not be located within the city, so that the plant does not absorb harmful substances. Properly and on time, harvested sage can be used as an additive to tea or a medicinal plant for two years.

They belong to the category of heat-loving shrubs. The plant has an elongated shape and an average height of up to 70 cm. Sage leaves are oblong, pointed, have a rich green tint, and the flowers, collected in inflorescences, are painted light purple. A large number of essential oils are concentrated in flowering tops, so they should be collected and harvested for medicinal purposes.

sage bush

The intensity of the aroma, the content of essential oils, as well as the concentration of useful substances of sage varies depending on the season of the year. That is why there are certain periods of collecting plants in summer and autumn. You can meet lawns with sage growing in the wild in Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Greece and other countries of southeastern Europe. In Russia and the CIS countries, wild sage is rare. It is mainly grown in private gardens and summer cottages.

The most favorable period for collecting leaves and flowers is the beginning of summer. It is then that the greatest amount of essential oils is concentrated in it. You can start collecting immediately after the blooming of the inflorescences. For the preparation of the medicinal base, we select dark green leaves and lilac inflorescences. For the convenience of drying, we cut off the branches where the lower flowers have already blossomed, and the upper ones are collected in buds. Summer collection time– 20 days after blooming inflorescences.

young sage

Then the sage fades, and the secondary stage of ripening begins. Self-seeding occurs, new seeds are formed in the pericarp, which soon fall to the ground or are carried by the wind, and after the first rain they germinate, filling the area with young sage bushes. During this period, the plant is not harvested, its leaves and stems coarsen, and the concentration of nutrients decreases several times.

Try to collect most of the sage in the area, if you do not want this plant to fill almost the entire space of your garden during the new flowering period. Many gardeners, however, specifically allocate large areas to sage, because, in addition to the medicinal use of dry leaves and inflorescences, you can also use its stems as green manure for compost. Re-collection begins at the end of September. By this time, both young and old shrubs have time to fully form, on which green leaves and lilac inflorescences reappear. In terms of a set of nutrients, autumn sowing is not inferior to summer sowing.

The collection process itself takes place in two ways. In the first case, you can pluck leaves and inflorescences from a growing shoot, and in the second, you can prune the aerial part of the sage with garden shears and dry it in a way that is convenient for you. It is recommended to remove not all leaves and inflorescences from the bush, but somewhere around 50-70% of the total. This will give you the opportunity not to plant new crops next year, but to get young shrubs from germinated seeds. Choose dry and sunny days for harvesting, waiting for the moment when the morning dew has completely evaporated. Before harvesting, we recommend washing the bushes from dust with a hose and letting them dry thoroughly. During the collection, pay attention to the quality of raw materials, excluding diseased and spoiled leaves, inflorescences.

If you do not have the opportunity to grow sage in your summer cottage, you can do it at home by creating special conditions. To do this, you need to have a cool room with plenty of light, such as a loggia or balcony, where you could keep a constant temperature in the range from 0 to +5 ° C.

Video: Collecting sage for brewing from a pharmacy

Sage has a pleasant aroma that persists even after drying. But if the raw material is not prepared correctly, it will have a musty smell. Therefore, start drying the plant immediately after harvesting it. We wash the leaves and inflorescences under water at room temperature, not hot, otherwise the sage will lose half of its medicinal properties, and then lay everything out in an even layer on parchment paper or newspaper. Drying is carried out in a ventilated, dry room or under a canopy in the open air, not forgetting to turn the leaves over.

Drying herbs

Also, you can not remove the leaves and flowers from the cut shoots, but collect them in a bunch and hang them upside down to dry.

You can use the dryer. It is necessary to carry out this process at a minimum temperature not exceeding 35-40 ° C in order to prevent the loss of essential oils and the aroma of sage. In dry raw materials, there should be no twigs, thick stems and other impurities. A simple test will help determine the readiness of raw materials. If the leaves break easily, they are well dried, and if they bend, we continue to dry the sage. At the exit, you should get 25-30% of the medicinal preparation from the initial volume of fresh sage. Natural tea from such raw materials has an astringent and bitter taste.

Video: How to dry greens and other plants

Store the leaves and inflorescences as a whole, as essential oils evaporate much faster from the crushed culture. We recommend using breathable materials as storage containers: cardboard boxes, paper or canvas bags, dry jars with a nylon lid. The room where dry sage will be stored should also be constantly ventilated. Subject to all these rules, the shelf life of raw materials is 2 years.

Medicinal sage is a heat-loving subshrub belonging to the Lamiaceae family. The plant has a straight leafy stem up to 70 cm high, pointed oblong green leaves and light purple flowers, collected in branched or simple apical inflorescences. The fruit is a small, four-lobed nutlet, black or brown.

In the wild, sage can only be found in the countries of southeastern Europe (in Greece, Slovenia, Macedonia, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, etc.). In Russia and the CIS, the plant grows in gardens, fields and vegetable gardens, as cultivated or wild.

How to collect sage

For medicinal purposes, the flowering tops of sage and its leaves containing healing essential oils are used. The first collection of vegetable raw materials is carried out in early autumn in the year of planting. In subsequent years, sage leaves and inflorescences are harvested in two stages:

1. during the budding period (in June-July);
2. during fruit ripening (September).

During the first two years after sowing, only the lower leaves of the plant with petioles at least 20 mm long are plucked. In the future, medicinal raw materials are harvested, collected from the entire ground part of the shoots.

Sage is harvested in two ways:

• they cut off the leaves with their hands from the growing shoot and dry them;
• the ground part of the plant is cut with a sickle, pruner or scissors, dried, and then the leaves and flowers are threshed.

Harvesting is advisable to produce on dry, sunny days, waiting for the morning dew to dry. Dusty and dirty plants should be washed with water from a hose or watering can before harvesting and allowed to dry thoroughly. During harvesting, it is necessary to ensure that diseased, dried or insect-eaten leaves do not get into the medicinal raw material.

How to dry sage at home

Sage is dried in dark, well-ventilated, warm rooms protected from moisture ingress or under specially equipped outdoor sheds. Cut plants are collected in bunches, tied and hung to dry with flowers down. The leaves collected from the growing shoots are laid out in a thin layer on paper and dried, from time to time exposing the medicinal raw material to tedding in order to prevent decay.

If desired, sage can also be dried in a dryer. However, it is necessary to ensure that the temperature in its chamber is below 35 degrees. When overheated, healing essential oils evaporate from the herb, and the medicinal raw material itself quickly loses its healing and aromatic properties.

The moisture level of dried sage should not exceed 13%. At the same time, thick stems, twigs, darkened leaves and other third-party impurities should not be contained in the finished medicinal raw material.

Sage storage rules

Sage is stored in glass containers, cardboard boxes, canvas or paper bags in dry, warm rooms with good ventilation. The shelf life of vegetable raw materials, subject to all storage rules, is 2 years.