Sage 'Tricolor'

'Tricolor' sage is a common sage with variegated green, cream, and purplish-pink foliage. It is aromatic and edible, perfect for pots, decorative borders, and Mediterranean cuisine.

Format

Hardiness Zone 5

Difficulty level Easy

Family Lamiaceae

Sage ‘Tricolor’ is a very decorative perennial herb, valued for its variegated foliage of green, cream, and purplish-pink. Its bright and colorful appearance adds a lot of charm to herb gardens, sunny borders, rock gardens, and patio containers. Like classic sage, it has a warm, herbaceous, and slightly peppery fragrance, ideal for flavoring meats, poultry, stuffings, sauces, roasted vegetables, potatoes, pasta, and stews.

Easy to grow, ‘Tricolor’ sage prefers a full sun to lightly partial shade location, in light, poor to moderately fertile, and very well-drained soil. It tolerates heat and drier periods well once established but does not tolerate excessive water, especially in heavy or poorly drained soils. Light pruning in spring or after flowering helps maintain a denser, more compact, and well-branched plant, while stimulating the production of new colorful foliage.

Both aromatic, ornamental, and beneficial for pollinators, ‘Tricolor’ sage is perfect for creating a gourmet garden with a more refined style. Its variegated foliage pairs very well with thyme, rosemary, lavender, oregano, santolina, and silver or purplish foliage. It is an excellent herb for gardeners looking for a robust, fragrant, drought-resistant, and very decorative plant both in pots and in the ground.