Japanese name: ペインテッドセージ Scientific name:Salvia viridis
[Overview]
An annual or biennial 30–60 cm tall.
The whole plant is covered with soft white hairs.
The stem is erect.
Leaves are simple and opposite, ovate to elliptic, about 5 cm long, with low teeth.
They have petioles.
Sparse spike-like verticillasters at the stem tips bear 2–6 flowers per tier, opening in order from the bottom of the spike.
The flowers are small lip-shaped flowers with a sickle-shaped upper lip and are inconspicuous, but the large boat-shaped bracts at the stem tips are colored purple, white, pink and so on.
The lower lip of the flower is white to cream, and the upper lip is the same color as the bracts.
The fruit is a schizocarp.
[Uses]
The seeds and leaves are used to flavor food, and the oil is used to flavor beer and wine.
It is also used medicinally and in snuff.
It is also a honey plant.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It prefers sunny, well-ventilated, well-drained soil.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
No fertilizer is particularly needed if fertilizer is applied at planting.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
