Sage

Salvia officinalis

Historical tradition – not medical advice, and no health or healing claims. more

Historical botanical drawing: Sage — Sage

Tradition (Hildegard's writings)

In Hildegard's tradition, sage was associated with digestion and skin care.

Ingredients

The leaves are used (Folia Salviae), fresh, dried or powdered.

Note

Sage contains thujone. The sources note that excessive use can lead to poisoning, while its use as a culinary herb is considered unproblematic. Hildegard is recorded as describing a brief boil rather than an infusion, which carries part of the thujone off with the steam.

Botanical background

Garden sage (Salvia officinalis) belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae). It grows as a hairy subshrub some 30 to 60 centimetres tall, with oblong-oval leaves and blue-violet flowers set in a loose spike of false whorls; the velvety Salvia triloba is a close relative. In the Physica sage occupies chapter CAP. 1-63, where Hildegard places it among the warm and dry plants and writes that it grows more from the warmth of the sun than from the moisture of the earth. The preparations handed down range from the raw and cooked herb to a powder eaten with bread and to steepings in wine or water. Sage also turns up often as an addition to mixtures, for instance ground with rose into a powder to be held to the nose, or combined with rue and chervil as a compress.

Sources & references

Hildegard von Bingen: Heilsame Schöpfung. Die natürliche Wirkkraft der Dinge (Physica). Hrsg. von der Abtei St. Hildegard, Eibingen. Beuroner Kunstverlag 2012 (4. Auflage 2024). CAP. 1-63.
Strehlow, Wighard: Der Hildegard-Kompass. Die wichtigsten Heilmittel und Anwendungen. Knaur Verlag 2014.
Strehlow, Wighard: Die Hildegard-Naturapotheke. Heilmittel und Rezepte von A bis Z. Knaur Verlag 2014.

The text of this entry is an independent summary in our own words, based on the works listed – not a verbatim reproduction. The page and chapter references document where the content comes from. A superscript number on a section heading points to the work that section follows. All rights to the original works remain with their authors and publishers.

More preparations using Sage

Sage Cream Sage Leaves

Historical tradition. The above describes how this preparation was recorded and used in the tradition of Hildegard of Bingen. This is cultural-historical information, not medical advice and not a health or healing claim, and it is no substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. If you have health complaints, please consult your doctor or pharmacy.

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