How big does Common sage grow?

About 60 cm × 80 cm after ten years (height × width). Its ultimate size is 30–80 cm × 60–90 cm.

What soil does Common sage grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, sandy, calcareous.

Is Common sage hardy?

Hardy down to -29 °C (USDA zone 4, RHS H7). It gets through winter in every part of the country.

Is Common sage toxic to dogs?

No. Reliable sources list it as non-toxic to dogs.

Is Common sage toxic to cats?

No. Reliable sources list it as non-toxic to cats.

Is Common sage toxic to children?

Yes, it is mildly toxic to children.

When does Common sage flower?

Flowering: May–July, purple, blue.

How much water does Common sage need?

Water need: low. Drought tolerance: high.

Common sage

Salvia officinalis

Common sage (Salvia officinalis) is a perennial that reaches 60 cm × 80 cm after ten years. Light: full sun. Hardy down to -29 °C. Drought tolerance: high. Non-toxic to dogs and cats, mildly toxic to children. Sold in local shops from about €6.

Illustration of Common sage — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

An aromatic subshrub with grey-green, velvety leaves that works both as a kitchen herb and as an ornamental, and whose bluish-purple flowers draw bees in early summer. In a sunny spot with lean, limy, free-draining soil it more or less looks after itself and shrugs off drought. Cut it back in spring to just above the woody part or it turns bare and sprawling, and expect to replace it with a young plant every few years.

Watch out for

It is short-lived: within a few years it turns woody and bare at the base and needs renewing. It will not stand waterlogging and the roots rot in wet soil. In Central Europe hard winters without snow cover can scorch it or cut it back, and variegated and purple-leaved cultivars are more frost-tender. Powdery mildew appears in damp, still air, and leafhoppers and spider mites can mottle the leaves in hot summers.

Key facts

Light: Full sun
Water need: Low
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 60 cm × 80 cm
Hardiness: down to -29 °C
Foliage: Evergreen
Flowering: J F M A M J J A S O N D May–July, purple, blue

Group	Perennial
Light	Full sun
Size after 10 years	60 cm × 80 cm
Ultimate size	30–80 cm × 60–90 cm
Hardiness	down to -29 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy, Calcareous
Foliage	Evergreen
Flowering	May–July, purple, blue
Water need	Low
Drought tolerance	High
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Low
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	45 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic
For cats	Non-toxic
For children	Mildly toxic
Typical price	from about €6

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
size not stated	approx. €6

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 8, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Ground cover plants Perennials for full sun Drought-tolerant plants Drought-tolerant perennials Drought-tolerant plants for sandy soil Plants that are non-toxic to dogs Plants that are non-toxic to cats Evergreen plants Perennials for pollinators Plants for containers Plants for a Mediterranean garden Fragrant plants Fragrant perennials

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