Salvia sclarea is herbaceous perennial will a tall erect habit that is native to Southern Europe and Syria. The soft open flower spikes make it a popular choice in cottage style herbaceous borders and it often planted with other tall perennials like Foxgloves and Delphiniums.
The heart shaped leaves have a velvety quality and diminish in size from top to bottom of stem. The leaves are covered with fine hairs and droplets of quite strong smelling oils. The upperside of the leaves is a grassy green colour and the underside is covered with prominent cream viens. This is a very aromatic plant and not a smell that everyone always likes.
The flowers spikes consist of whorls of colourful bracts and tubular flowers. The colour vary depending on the variety; original species has greenish white bracts and purple flowers; 'Turkestanica' has mauve-pink bracts and lavender flowers; 'Vatican White' has white bracts and flowers.