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By: Jerome A. Jackson
Sage Wisdom.
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Scarlet Sage is a favorite among Southern gardeners, in part because of the iridescent hummingbirds that are attracted to its nectar. In its native Latin America, it can grow five feet high in the wild, but cultivated varieties range from a few inches to less than two feet tall. Although usually considered an annual, in Southwest Florida this staple of summer gardens can provide color year-round.
Sage is part of the salvia family, which is made up of more than 900 species, including many varieties of mint. Sage is known for its healing properties and for the flavor it adds to food. Some salvias have been used to produce hallucinogenic chemicals in native religions and in today's drug culture, where they are the subject of legal scrutiny.
-Jerome A. Jackson, Florida Gulf Coast University
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