Field ManualAll plants

Photo: Zeynel Cebeci, via Wikimedia CommonsLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0

Clary sage

Salvia sclarea

Pet & Human Safety

People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them
Hazardous parts
No hazardous parts found.
Preparation
Not applicable; this is an ornamental plant.
Hazard type
NC State's Plant Toolbox page has no human poison section. This is not a statement that the plant is safe to eat.
Hazard route
none named by the sources used
How complete this information is
The safety information on this page is partial. Where a source covers a point, it is shown; where none does, the page says so.

Toxic to pets
No ASPCA entry found.

ASPCA names Salvia officinalis and S. coccinea only.

PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.

Poison control

If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.

Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.

Naturalist Lore

Historical Background & Breeding Lore

The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.

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Care

Hardiness zones

USDA zones 5 to 9 (NC State Extension).

Light

Full sun (NC State Extension).

Water needs

low

Mature size

2 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide (NC State Extension).

Soil & Drainage
Pruning & Flush Rhythm
Feeding Schedule

How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.

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Anatomy & Guilds

Botanical Anatomy & Characteristics

How the flowers and leaves are built and which pollinators visit, where we have them.

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Field Doctor

Field Doctor

What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.

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Vintage Plates

Vintage Plates

Old botanical drawings from public libraries are in the app, for plants where we have them.

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Sources

  1. NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Salvia sclarea
  2. Kew World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) name file, dated 2026-06-04

How we choose sources

Wishlists live in the app

Wishlists are part of the Plot & Petal app, which is coming soon. Nothing is added to a wishlist from this page.

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