Clary sage has one of the stranger origin stories in the herb garden. The mucilaginous seed capsules were historically placed directly on the eye to remove foreign objects, producing a slippery substance that would envelope grit before being removed cleanly, which is why the common name clary is thought to derive from a corruption of clear eye. The species comes from the Mediterranean and central Asia, preferring well-drained, light or gravelly soil in full sun, and it handles dry conditions and poor fertility well. In fact, rich, heavily fertilized soil produces tall, floppy plants with fewer flowers, a good reminder that not every plant benefits from generous treatment.

As a biennial or short-lived perennial, clary sage grows 2 to 5 feet tall with broad, textured gray-green leaves and showy white-to-lavender-pink flower spikes from June through August. The flowers are fragrant, and the foliage is used extensively in perfumery and as a flavoring for wines and liqueurs. Once the first flush of bloom finishes, cutting the stalks back near the ground encourages a second round of growth and flowers. It resists browsing by deer and rabbits and tolerates drought reliably. In zones 5 through 9, clary sage works best planted in groups in a naturalized area, cottage border, or herb garden where its height and texture give it room to make an impression without crowding out smaller neighbors.