Clary Sage – once called Cleareye
Cleareye is a less common name for the herb usually known as Clary or Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea). It’s a close relative of the Common Sage, as you might expect, and is not generally used for cooking, although in the past the leaves were sometimes dipped in batter and used to make fritters, and you can use it in soups and stews like sage. The flowers can also be used in salad or for making tea.
Clary grows to about 1 metre (3 feet) in height, and is found growing wild in a wide area ranging from Southern Europe to Syria. It likes a sunny position, well drained but not too dry (though it will most likely cope, if needs must). If it is in a position it likes, it will self-seed, so you will never need to sow it again after the first couple of years. As it’s a biennial, it’s best to start plants off two years in a row, and if it’s happy you will have supplies every year after that with no further intervention on your part.
Clary sage is one of the herbs which is not suitable for use as an internal remedy by pregnant women, because it has strong hormonal effects.
Clary has an estrogenic action and is useful to help relieve period pains, PMS, hot flushes and other problems relating to the menopause. It’s also a good anti-spasmodic, so can be used to treat other types of cramps and muscle spasms, including those caused by wind (“gas”). In fact, clary is useful for many types of digestive disorder, from indigestion to kidney problems. For all these purposes, a standard infusion made from 3-4 teaspoonfuls of fresh or 1-2 teaspoonfuls of dried herb to a cup of boiling water, left to stand for 10 minutes and strained, should be used.
The seeds which you harvest from the plant (not ones from a packet, as they will most likely have been dressed with chemical preservatives) can be soaked in water for a few minutes to make a slimey liquid. This glop is very good for washing small particles of dust and so on from the eyes – so the reason for the name Cleareye becomes… er… clear.
Like other herbs used medicinally, clary is best grown organically, so that you don’t end up ingesting unacceptably large quantities of chemicals in with your remedy. For more information about growing organic clary sage and other uses for this herb, visit the Gardenzone.
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