Flora of Israel: Garden sage

Derivation of the botanical name:

Salvia, Latin salvere, to save, referring to the long-believed healing properties of salvia. Pliny the Elder was the first known to use the Latin name salvia.

officinalis, sold as an herb; medicinal.
The Israeli botanists Dr. Ephraim and Hanah Hareuveni pointed out that the architecture of the vertical inflorescence of this species of Salvia resembles the shape of the Menorah, in particular—the Salvia Palaestina. Therefore, they suggested that it had inspired the design of the Menorah. Moreover, based on etymology perspectives they suggested that the Hebrew word “Marva, מרווה” (Salvia) was originated from the Hebrew word “Moriah” (the Temple Mount name), reflecting the connection between this plant and the Menorah, which was situated inside the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

• The standard author abbreviation L. is used to indicate Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778), a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, the father of modern taxonomy.

Sage was one of the ingredients of Four Thieves Vinegar, a vinegar made from thyme, rosemary, sage, and lavender. This blend of herbs believed to protect the user against the plague (Black Death). It was supposedly created around 1630 by four robbers from Toulouse who waited for plague victims to be removed for burial, and then entered their houses and looted them. They were eventually caught and sentenced to death, but so great was the need to find protection against the plague, that they were given their freedom in exchange for the recipe, which apparently left them untouched by the disease.

The ancient Egyptians used Salvia officinalis to increase fertility.