Salvia officinalis commonly called sage, is the culinary sage familiar to most cooks. It also has excellent ornamental qualities, however. Variably called culinary sage, common sage or garden sage, this woody-stemmed, semi-shrubby perennial typically grows 1.5-2.5' tall. Features whorls of two-lipped, lavender-blue flowers (to 1 inch long) in short, upright spikes in late spring. Wrinkled, gray-green leaves (to 4" long) are strongly aromatic and are frequently used fresh or dried in cooking as a seasoning. A mint family member that is attractive to bees and butterflies.
Genus name comes from the Latin word salveo meaning to save or heal in reference to the purported medically curative properties attributed to some plants in the genus.
Specific epithet refers to the plant's real or supposed medicinal properties and was sold in shops.