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Common Name: Wood Sage

General Information

Teucrium scorodonia is a perennial plant that can grow up to 0.30 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

W. Europe, including Britain, from Norway south and east to Portugal, Italy, Croatia and Germany.

Habitat

Dry, not strongly calcareous, soils in woodlands, grassland, heaths and dunes[, ]. Also found on lime-free moorland soils[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	0.30 m
Pollinators	Bees, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

An easily grown plant, succeeding in any moderately good soil and almost any situation[, ]. Once established, this is a drought resistant plant, succeeding in dry shade[].

Edible Uses

The plant resembles hops in taste and flavour[]. An infusion of the leaves and flowers is used as a hop substitute for flavouring beer in some areas[, , ]. It is said to clear the beer more quickly than hops, but imparts too much colour to the brew[].

Medicinal

The herb is alterative, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue, tonic and vulnerary[, , ]. It is harvested in July and can be dried for later use[]. The herb is often used in domestic herbal practice in the treatment of skin afflictions, diseases of the blood, fevers, colds etc[]. It is an appetizer of the first order and is equal to gentian root as a tonic[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame and only just cover the seed[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out in the summer if they are large enough. Otherwise, grow them on in a cold frame for the winter and plant them out in the following spring.
Division in early spring[]. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is best to pot up smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a greenhouse or cold frame until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer or the following spring.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[].