Salvia lavandulifolia (Spanish sage)

Japanese name: スパニッシュセージ
Scientific name: Salvia lavandulifolia

[Overview]
An evergreen perennial growing to about 30 cm in both height and width.
The whole plant has a fragrance similar to rosemary.
The stems have 4 ridges, branch well, and become woody at the base.
The leaves are simple and opposite, lanceolate to narrowly oblong, up to 5 cm long, with many wrinkles on the upper surface, and are covered overall with white woolly hairs, so they look whitish.
There are long petioles.
Verticillasters are produced at the stem tips.
The flowers are tubular and two-lipped, pale purple to purple.

[Uses]
The leaves are used medicinally, and an essential oil is also obtained.
It is made into herbal tea as a substitute for sage, and is also used to flavor meat dishes.
The essential oil is also used to scent soap and other products.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed, by division, or by cuttings.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, well-ventilated place.
With insufficient sun it may become leggy and weak.
Water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
It is hardy, but dislikes summer heat and humidity, and if the plant becomes stuffy the inner and lower leaves may wither, so thin out crowded branches to improve ventilation.
In cool regions, let it overwinter without pruning in late autumn.

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