The Temperate Database is in the process of being updated, with new records being added and old ones being checked and brought up to date where necessary. This record has not yet been checked and updated.

Common Name:

General Information

Salvia multicaulis is an evergreen shrub that can grow up to 0.30 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

W. Asia - Iran to Turkey.

Habitat

Dry scrub, steppe and rocky limestone slopes to 2600 metres[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Habit	Evergreen Shrub
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Bees
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a very well-drained fertile sandy soil in a sunny position[]. Soils rich in nitrogen encourage excessive leaf growth at the expense of flowering[].
Hardy to about -25°c[]. Another report says that the plant only tolerates temperatures down to about -10°c[]. Plants can be killed by excessive winter wet.
A low-growing plant forming mats[].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[].

Edible Uses

The plant is used as a condiment for tea or is prepared as a tea in boiling water[].
The aromatic leaves are a good substitute for common sage (Salvia officinalis) in cooking[].

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow early to mid spring in a greenhouse[]. Germination usually takes place within 2 weeks. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in early summer. In areas where the plant is towards the limits of its hardiness, it is best to grow the plants on in a greenhouse for their first winter and plant them out in late spring of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood succeed at almost any time in the growing season[].