Stem

  • 1-3 ft. tall, highly branched and densely covered with hairs
Photo of mediterranean sage in front of a wooden fence
 

Leaves

  • Gray-green; densely covered with white hairs, particularly on new leaves and underside of older leaves; wider at base (triangle-shaped); 2-12 in. long; edges (margins) with rounded, irregular teeth; leaves have an aroma when crushed
  • Lower leaves have leaf stems (petioles); upper leaves are smaller and lack leaf stems
Photo of mediterranean sage rosette
 

Flower

  • Yellow to white, 0.5 in. wide, arranged in clusters of 5-10, ; 2 lips, the upper lip is arch- or hook-shaped, the lower lip is smaller and has 3 lobes
  • 4 nutlets produced per flower, 0.16 in. long
Photo of mediterranean sage with white flowers
 

Root

  • Stout, deep taproot
Photo of mediterranean sage plants

Other

  • Often infests rangeland, roadsides and waste areas; not known to occur in Nevada
  • Biennial; reproduces by seed; dried plants detach and tumble, which disperses seeds.
  • Also known as African sage 
Photo of a field of mediterranean sage with white flowers
 

Control

  • Hand removal of individual plants, including the crown, can limit spread of small infestations 
  • An insect biological control agent is available
  • Apply 2,4-D, chlorsulfuron, clopyralid, dicamba, glyphosate, or metsulfuron to actively growing plants prior to seed production; aminocyclopyrachlor, aminopyralid, or picloram pre- or post emergence
Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B. 2020, Mediterranean sage, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide

Learn more about the author(s)

Heidi Kratsch
Heidi Kratsch
 

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