Facts about Sage

1. 08

   Sage plants can live for over 20 years in ideal growing conditions, with some Mediterranean specimens reaching 30 years old while continuously producing harvestable leaves.

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2. 07

   Sage tea has been used as a gargle in traditional medicine for over 1,500 years to treat sore throats and oral infections, with modern studies confirming its effectiveness against common pathogens.

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3. 06

   California's Black Sage produces volatile oils that repel insects so effectively that indigenous Californian tribes used crushed leaves as a natural pesticide for stored grains and textiles.

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4. 05

   Native Americans traditionally used white sage for smudging ceremonies, burning bundles to cleanse spaces and objects for spiritual purposes spanning centuries before European contact.

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5. 04

   Sage leaves contain antimicrobial compounds that made it a key ingredient in medieval plague doctors' protective sachets and vinegars during the 14th and 15th centuries.

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6. 03

   Salvia officinalis, commonly called garden sage, originates from the Mediterranean region and has been cultivated for over 2,000 years across Europe and the Middle East.

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7. 02

   In ancient Rome, sage was valued so highly that it commanded prices equal to other precious commodities, with physicians prescribing it for memory and longevity around 100 CE.

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8. 01

   The herb sage contains thujone, a compound that comprises up to 50 percent of its essential oil in certain species.

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