Greek Sage
Greek Sage contains intense oils, flavonoids and phenolic acids including rosmarinic acid which functions as an antioxidant and helps prevent diseases of the respiratory tract. The phenolic acids in sage can also help treat throat and gum infections and mouth ulcers. Anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antidementia.
Greek sage grows 0.60 m high and wide, with the flower stalks rising 0.30 m or more above the foliage. The entire plant is covered with hairs, with numerous leaves of various sizes growing in clusters, giving it a silvery and bushy appearance. The flowers are pinkish-lavender, about 1.3 cm long. It is also grown as an ornamental flowering shrub, preferring full sun, well-draining soil, and good air circulation. Hardy to 20 degrees F., it is very drought resistant. The leaves have a high oil content. Due its wide variation in leaf shape, there has been a great deal of taxonomic confusion over the years, with many of the leaf variations of Salvia fruticosa being named as distinct species. These include S. libanotica, S. triloba, S. lobryana, and S. cypria, which are now considered to be Salvia fruticosa. The variation in leaf depends on geographical area.