Forage Friday #97 Lyre Leaf Sage

Please remember that Forage Friday is presented as trivia and not to be mistaken for medical advice.

I have to admit that the edges of my lawn don’t exactly look like something out of a magazine. It’s safe to say that they’re allowed to go native up to a point. Generally whatever the mower can’t reach is given back to nature. But in return nature often gifts me back with something useful. Such is the case with Lyre Leaf Sage. Though the plant is often tall and lanky it does sport a beautiful lavender, trumpet shaped bloom that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. The square stem marks it as a member of mint family and it is a true sage. It is a bit milder than the sage we buy in the store but it’s pleasant flavored nonetheless. The stem is slightly hairy and the young leaves can be added to salads or cooked as a potherb. Native Americans used the root to make a salve for treating wounds. Lyre Leaf Sage has the same properties and benefits as garden sage that we get from the store but it’s also weaker in those phytochemicals so keep in mind that substituting regular sage would probably have a stronger effect. A tea made with 2 tablespoons of dried Lyre Leaf Sage was commonly used as a gargle for sore throat and mouth ulcers. It is antimicrobial but not as much as the garden varieties. The tea is said to also help with colds, coughs and to settle nerves. A source from the UK suggests that the fresh leaves are applied to remove warts. The other name for this plant is Cancerweed. At one time the leaves were applied externally to treat cancer. Which makes me wonder if what they were referring to as “cancer” was the same thing that we call cancer today? Let me give an example. There have been times when I have had trouble with acne on my arms that just didn’t seem to heal normally. I was just starting my journey into herbalism and out of desperation applied plain old garden sage from the store to the sores and almost overnight they began to dry up and heal. But it was acne and not melanoma. The word “cancer” has it roots in old English and refers to any ulcer that seems to grow. So when the ancients said that members of the sage group “cured cancer” they were not necessarily referring to melanoma.

The antimicrobial actions of sage may have stopped the growth of infections and therefore allowed the body to heal itself.

Wild sages do have a look-alike in Bugleweed. But if you look closely you’ll see that Bugleweed has shorter and denser flowers, shiny leaves without the deep lobes of Lyre Leaf Sage.

While sage is commonly used for a variety of purposes everyday Bugleweed is mainly for looking at. The manuals do mention that Bugleweed may have an effect of lowering glucose but they also mention that it can harm the thyroid and therefore its important to know and recognize the difference between the two plants.

That’s it for this week’s Forage Friday! Good night friends and be blessed throughout your days.

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