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Mediterranean Sage 

The Enemy - Mediterranean sage (Salvia aethiopis) is a plant that was introduced from Europe as a contaminate in alfalfa seed. This plant is in the Mint family, thus the stem is square in shape. The plant invades mostly dry areas in rangelands and sagebrush communities. IT has gray-green deeply toothed, pubescent (hairy/wooly) leaves. The irriegular flowers are pale yellow to white in whorls of 5-10. The stems branch near the top Minot broad panicles. Each flower produces four egg-shaped nutlets. The plant resembles common mullein early in the spring although Common mullein is absent of the sage-like smell. This plant has invaded the Kelloge part of Idaho and continues to spread, thus it was recently put onto the states Noxious weed list.

This plant can be very aggressive in the sensitive rangelands. It is unforageable to livestock and wildlife, thus it spreads quickly in these pristine sites. The light seeds with a plume can spread long distances in the wind and the seeds can last many years in the soil. The plant acts like a tumbleweed and can spread likewise for long distance.

The Defense - Control can be done by using a shovel early in the infestation. There is a weevil that attacks the root but it is slow acting and the growth of the plant can spread faster than the insect. Numerous herbicides are available, such as Tordon® 22k, Escort® XP, and in some cases Roundup Pro.

OTHER RESOURCES

• invasive.org - Mediterranean Sage
• Also see the Mediterranean Sage interactive panorama with video clips in the Virtual Field Guide - Interactive Map of Idaho section.
• Also see the Mediterranean Sage photo gallery and information in the Virtual Field Guide - Noxious Weed List section.