Clary Sage - Reconstitution

What is Clary Sage and where is it native?

Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea) is a biennial or short-lived herbaceous perennial native to the northern Mediterranean, parts of North Africa, and Central Asia.

What are the physical characteristics of the Clary Sage plant?

Clary Sage grows to a height of 3 to 4 feet (0.91 to 1.22 m), with thick square stems covered in hair. The leaves are about 1 foot long at the base and 0.5 foot higher up, with a rugose upper surface covered in glandular hair.

How are Clary Sage flowers arranged and what colors do they exhibit?

Clary Sage flowers are arranged in verticils, with 2-6 flowers per verticil. They are held in colorful bracts that range in color from pale mauve to lilac or white to pink, with a pink mark on the edge.

What is unique about the Clary Sage seeds?

Clary Sage seeds have a mucilaginous coat, which was historically used to help remove foreign objects from the eye, as documented by Nicholas Culpeper in 1653.

What is Clary Sage Essential Oil used for in aromatherapy?

Clary Sage Essential Oil is used for relieving anxiety, fear, PMS, cramping, and insomnia, and is known for its calming effects.

How is Clary Sage Essential Oil utilized in the fragrance industry?

It is used widely in perfumes as a fragrance component and fixative, adding depth and complexity to scent compositions.

How is Clary Sage Essential Oil used in the food and beverage industry?

Clary Sage Essential Oil is used as a muscatel flavoring in vermouths, wines, and liqueurs.

What culinary uses does Clary Sage have?

The young tops of Clary Sage are used in soups, as pot herbs, to flavor omelets, jellies, and are also chopped into salads.

What medicinal use did Clary Sage have according to Nicholas Culpeper?

Culpeper recommended Clary Sage for its medicinal uses, including as a remedy for eye irritation and in a 17th-century sage dish.