Scarlet Sage

Overview

Its native distributions are Brazil, Mexico and Southern United States. Beside being an ornamental plant, this plant also has medicinal benefits.

Vernacular Names

Pao zi hua (Chinese), Vuursalie (Dutch), Sauge écarlate (French), Feuersalbei (German), Kkaekkot (Korean), Ateş çiçeği (Turkish).

Agroecology

Scarlet sage is quite drought tolerant and can grow in a wide range of soil types from loam and sand, to acid and loam. This species thrives in full sun in cooler climates but tolerates shade, especially in areas with very hot summers. It prefers average to slightly dry, well-drained soil. This species generally grows in the highlands and lowlands, between 0 and 3000 m above sea level.

Morphology

• Roots - taproot, pale brown.
• Stems - erect, quadrangular stems, branched, green, hairy.
• Leaves - opposite, 3 - 8cm long, dark to medium green, elliptical with serrate or toothed margins.
• Flowers - borne in whorls, densely packed on spike-like terminal racemes of about 12 - 25cm long. Flowers are scarlet in colour. The calyces remain on the plant after the flowers have fallen off.
• Fruits - bulat, hijau.
• Seeds - kidney shape, small, black.

Cultivation

Propagated by seeds.

Chemical Constituents

Alkaloids, anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenols, glycosides, reducing sugars, saponins, sterols, terpenoids, tannins, and essential oils (phytol, cyclooctasulfur, and 2,2'-methylene-bis[6(1.1-dimethylethyl]-phenol).

Traditional Medicinal Uses

• It is purportedly useful for curing diarrhoea and removing mucous congestion.
• It is also considered useful for drying breast milk in mothers who are trying to wean their babies.