Wild clary (Salvia verbenaca, Sp. Pl.: 25 (1753))

Family: Lamiaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 25 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Salvia

Vegetable: False

Observations: Macaronesia, W. Europe to Medit. and Caucasus, Eritrea

Description

Wild clary, known scientifically as Salvia verbenaca, is a distinctive member of the Lamiaceae family, a group renowned for its aromatic and often medicinally significant plants. This hardy and resilient species was first described in the seminal botanical work “Species Plantarum” by Carl Linnaeus in 1753.

A native of diverse and varied climates, Wild clary has a natural range that extends from the Macaronesian archipelagos and Western Europe across the Mediterranean basin and into the reaches of the Caucasus region. It can also be found as far afield as Eritrea, demonstrating its adaptability to different environmental conditions.

The plant itself typically presents with sturdy, square-shaped stems characteristic of the mint family and is adorned with deep green, slightly fuzzy leaves. When in bloom, Wild clary produces charming, dense whorls of blue-violet flowers that are particularly attractive to pollinators such as bees and butterflies. This floral display not only adds color to its native habitats but also plays a critical role in supporting local ecosystems.

Wild clary is often found growing in sunny, well-drained locations and is commonly seen in meadows, open woodlands, and along roadsides. Its preference for such habitats makes it a valuable species for naturalizing in gardens and wildflower meadows, where it can contribute to biodiversity and the attractiveness of the area.

Beyond its visual appeal, Salvia verbenaca has a history of use in traditional medicine, where it has been employed for its purported anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. While modern research continues to explore these traditional uses, Wild clary remains a subject of interest both for its ecological significance and potential benefits to human health.

In summary, the Wild clary is a versatile and valuable plant species with a broad geographical range and a unique presence within the Lamiaceae family. Its ecological contributions, coupled with its traditional uses, make it a plant of significant interest and importance.

Common Names

Deu: eisenkraut-salbei
Dan: jernurt-salvie
Eng: wild clary, vervain sage, wild sage
Swe: fliksalvia
Hun: kisvirágú zsálya
Nld: kleinbloemige salie
Fra: sauge verveine
Ces: šalvia železníková, šalvěj sporýšová
Cym: claer, claes mair, clais mair, clais y moch, clari dwbl, clari gwyllt, clych duran, golwg crist, gorchwraidd, gorchwyraid, gorchwyrydd, gwerddonell, had y llygaid, llygad crist, saets gwyllt, torfagl, ysglarei
En: Wild clary, Vervain sage, Wild sage, Small sage, Verbena sage
Af: Kleinsalie, Wildesalie
Ar: ثعلبه (ثَعلبه), قصعين رعي الحمام
Bg: Върбинков конски босилек
Ca: Tàrrec comú, Tàrrec
Kw: Owradal
Cs: Šalvěj sporýšová, Šalvia železníková
Da: Jernurt-salvie
Nl: Kleinbloemige salie, Kleine Salie
Fr: Sauge verveine, Sauge à feuilles de verveine, Sauge fausse verveine, Sauge fausse-verveine
De: Eisenkraut-Salbei
He: מרווה מצויה
Hu: Kisvirágú zsálya
It: Salvia minore
Pt: Erva-crista, Jarvão, Salva-dos-caminhos
Ru: Шалфей вербеновый
Sk: Šalvia železníkovitá
Sv: Fliksalvia
Cy: Clari gwyllt, Claer, Claes Mair, Clais Mair, Clais y Moch, Clari Dwbl, Clych Duran, Golwg Crist, Gorchwraidd, Gorchwyraid, Gorchwyrydd, Gwerddonell, Had y Llygaid, Llygad Crist, Saets Gwyllt, Torfagl, Ysglarei

Synonyms

• Salvia gracilis (Sennen)
• Salvia pyrenaica (L.)
• Salvia agrestis (Vill.)
• Salvia ceratophylla (C.A.Mey.)
• Salvia dubia (Lowe)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. horminoides ((Pourr.) Nyman)
• Salvia sennenii var. acanthifolia (Sennen)
• Salvia multifida var. delicatula (Sennen)
• Gallitrichum horminioides ((Pourr.) Timb.-Lagr.)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. foetens (Maire)
• Horminum verbenacum ((L.) Mill.)
• Salvia verbenaca var. australis (Caruel)
• Salvia clandestina (L.)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. ochroleuca ((Coss. & Balansa) Maire)
• Salvia verbenaca var. serrata (Sennen)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. clandestina ((L.) Batt.)
• Salvia linnaei subsp. horminioides ((Pourr.) Rouy)
• Salvia verbenaca var. delicatula ((Sennen) O.Bolòs & Vigo)
• Salvia verbenaca var. bicolor (Maire)
• Gallitrichum stereocaulon (Jord. & Fourr.)
• Salvia fontii (Sennen)
• Salvia rhodantha (Zefir.)
• Salvia intricata (Sennen)
• Salvia weihaiensis (C.Y.Wu & H.W.Li)
• Larnastyra claytonii ((Nutt.) Raf.)
• Salvia byzantina (Juss. ex Steud.)
• Salvia anselmii (Sennen)
• Salvia verbenaca var. sabulicola ((Pomel) Batt.)
• Salvia cleistogama (de Bary & Paul)
• Salvia verbenaca var. controversa ((Ten.) Briq.)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. claudi (Sennen)
• Gallitrichum dichroanthum (Jord. & Fourr.)
• Horminum sylvestre (Gray)
• Salvia ochroleuca (Coss. & Balansa)
• Gallitrichum maculatum (Jord. & Fourr.)
• Gallitrichum ptychophyllum (Jord. & Fourr.)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. oblongata ((Vahl) Nyman)
• Salvia verbenacoides (Brot.)
• Salvia verbenaca var. ovatocrenata (Pau)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. multifida ((Vis.) Briq.)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. horminioides ((Pourr.) Nyman)
• Salvia verbenaca var. oblongifolia (Benth.)
• Salvia multifida (Sm.)
• Salvia clandestina subsp. multifida ((Sm.) Nyman)
• Salvia horminoides var. pinnatiloba (Sennen)
• Salvia mediterranea (Sennen)
• Gallitrichum verbenacum ((L.) Fourr.)
• Salvia polymorpha (Hoffmanns. & Link)
• Salvia controversa (Ten.)
• Salvia barcinonensis (Sennen)
• Gallitrichum anglicum (Jord. & Fourr.)
• Salvia pallidiflora (St.-Amans)
• Salvia verbenaca var. horminioides ((Pourr.) Briq.)
• Larnastyra verbenaca ((L.) Raf.)
• Salvia electa (Sennen)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. sabulicola ((Pomel) Quézel & Santa ex Greuter, Burdet & G.Long)
• Salvia verbenaca var. serotina (Boiss.)
• Gallitrichum candollei (Timb.-Lagr.)
• Salvia discolor (Sennen)
• Salvia parviflora (Brot.)
• Salvia clandestinoides (Link)
• Salvia verbenaca var. clandestina ((L.) Briq.)
• Salvia sabulicola (Pomel)
• Salvia verbenaca var. oblongata ((Vahl) Briq.)
• Salvia verbenifolia (Salisb.)
• Salvia verbenaca var. laxispica (Sennen)
• Salvia clandestina var. controversa ((Ten.) Briq.)
• Salvia candollei ((Timb.-Lagr.) Timb.-Lagr.)
• Salvia verbenaca var. vernalis (Boiss.)
• Salvia verbenaca var. dubia ((Lowe) Menezes)
• Salvia acutata (Brot.)
• Salvia verbenaca var. anglica ((Jord. & Fourr.) P.D.Sell)
• Salvia verbenaca var. sinuata (Vis.)
• Gallitrichum rosulatum (Jord. & Fourr.)
• Gallitrichum virgatum (Jord. & Fourr.)
• Salvia linnaei (Rouy)
• Salvia domenechii (Sennen)
• Salvia linnaei subsp. multifida ((Sm.) Rouy)
• Gallitrichum arvale (Jord. & Fourr.)
• Salvia verbenaca var. spielmannii (K.Koch)
• Salvia clandestina var. pallidiflora ((St.-Amans) Nyman)
• Salvia laciniata (Willd.)
• Salvia hiemalis (Brot.)
• Sclarea rhodantha ((Zefir.) Soják)
• Sclarea verbenaca ((L.) Soják)
• Salvia spielmanniana (M.Bieb.)
• Salvia vivianii (Sieber ex Rchb.)
• Salvia verbenaca var. integrifolia (Vayr.)
• Salvia erosa (Desf.)
• Salvia clandestina var. obtusata (Nyman)
• Salvia subscaposa (Sennen)
• Salvia clandestina var. hiemalis ((Brot.) Nyman)
• Gallitrichum clandestinum ((L.) Fourr.)
• Salvia lowei (Steud.)
• Sclarea decidua (Moench)
• Salvia verbenaca var. disermas (Nyman)
• Salvia verbenaca var. multifida (Vis.)
• Salvia sennenii (Font Quer ex Sennen)
• Gallitrichum pallidiflorum ((St.-Amans) Jord. & Fourr.)
• Salvia linnaei subsp. oblongata ((Vahl) Rouy)
• Salvia claytonii (Elliott)
• Salvia eriocaulis (Sennen)
• Salvia anglica ((Jord. & Fourr.) Verl., Arv.-Touv. & Faure)
• Sclarea viscosissima (Moench)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. controversa ((Ten.) Arcang.)
• Salvia disermas (Sm.)
• Salvia verbenaca var. praecox ((Savi) Lange)
• Salvia neglecta (Ten.)
• Salvia illyrica (Schult.)
• Horminum parviflorum (Moench)
• Salvia linnaei subsp. clandestina ((L.) Rouy)
• Gallitrichum rubellum (Jord. & Fourr.)
• Salvia basilii (Sennen)
• Salvia theodori (Sennen)
• Salvia obtusata (Brot.)
• Salvia barnolae (Sennen)
• Salvia ambigua (Rochebr. & Sav.)
• Salvia verbenaca subsp. battandieri (Maire)
• Salvia linnaei subsp. verbenaca ((L.) Rouy)
• Salvia clandestina var. multifida ((Sm.) Benth.)
• Salvia verbenaca var. amplifrons (Briq.)
• Salvia horminioides (Pourr.)
• Salvia variabilis (Loisel. ex Benth.)
• Salvia betonicifolia (Lam.)
• Salvia oblongata (Vahl)

Distribution

• Albania (native)
• Algeria (native)
• Baleares (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Canary Is. (native)
• Corse (native)
• Cyprus (native)
• East Aegean Is. (native)
• Egypt (native)
• Eritrea (native)
• France (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Italy (native)
• Kriti (native)
• Krym (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Libya (native)
• Madeira (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• Palestine (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• Sinai (native)
• Spain (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Tunisia (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Argentina Northeast (introduced)
• Argentina Northwest (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Cape Provinces (introduced)
• China North-Central (introduced)
• Czechoslovakia (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• Ecuador (introduced)
• Free State (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Lesotho (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Mexico Central (introduced)
• Mexico Southwest (introduced)
• Namibia (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• Norfolk Is. (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• Northern Provinces (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Peru (introduced)
• Romania (introduced)
• Tasmania (introduced)
• Ukraine (introduced)
• Uruguay (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Mar 20, 2018 by Matesanz Ángel (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 7, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 7, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 7, 2019 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 28, 2017 by Fejul Xeto (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Leaf

Taken Mar 7, 2022 by etienne copeaux (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 29, 2021 by Serge Fournier (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 15, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 19, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 1, 2021 by julien deroy (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Oct 13, 2021 by Palmieri Nicola (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 23, 2021 by Jaime Ghuetu (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 6, 2022 by 🐞Hélène🐦 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 14, 2021 by Miguel Ángel Segovia (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 19, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Mar 15, 2018 by Jean-Christophe Lombardo (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 5, 2022 by PhilBern (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 28, 2021 by Sylvie Fey (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 7, 2022 by etienne copeaux (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 29, 2021 by Serge Fournier (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Oct 22, 2022 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 22, 2022 by Trap Hers (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 4, 2022 by Raúl García Valdés (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 27, 2021 by Jorge Hernández López (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 9, 2019 by Selmins (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Apr 14, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 14, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 14, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Liliane Roubaudi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Apr 20, 2022 by Palmieri Nicola (cc-by-sa)

Taken Mar 23, 2021 by Jaime Ghuetu (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:457495-1)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/6409706)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Salvia verbenaca L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Ph maximum: 8.0

Ph minimum: 7.5

Light: 8

Atmospheric humidity: 4

Soil nutriments: 6