Sage, rosemary, thyme. The Thanksgiving herb trio.
Close your eyes and visualize the Thanksgiving Day meal. Now close your eyes and inhale aromas wafting from the steaming bowls of warm stuffing. And you find you can’t resist digging into the stuffing seasoned with sage, rosemary and thyme.
This trio belongs to the Lamiaceae family along with basil, lavender, marjoram, germander, savory, horehound and mint. Common characteristics of Lamiaceae herbs are square stems on new growth, opposite leaves and loaded with aromatic volatile oils.
Sage, rosemary, and thyme are aromatic, culinary herbs yet can also be spices. An herb is the fresh, green, leafy foliage of a plant while a spice has come from dried roots, stems, seed, fruit, flowers or bark. Herbs have a more subtle, delicate flavor because they are fresh.
Sage (Salvia officinalis) seasons protein, meats and cheese. It is attractive in herb gardens with its grey-green foliage, mounding growth habit and small bluish purple flowers. The genus Salvia comes from the Latin "to heal or to save." Sage is said to have medicinal benefits of reducing rheumatic pain, improving digestion and heartburn, lowering blood pressure, improving memory, suppressing coughs and promoting healing.
Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) can be a focal point in an herb garden with its long stems, needlelike leaves and pretty lavender flowers. It is called dew of the sea after the Latin "ros" (dew) and "marinus" (sea). Rosemary has long been a symbol of love, fidelity, honesty, and wisdom. Medicinally, rosemary may improve the memory, aid in slowing brain aging and promote digestion. It seasons potatoes and meats.
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris), pronounced "time," symbolizes activity, bravery, strength and courage to stand up for true love. Clusters of small leaves grow on thin stems; plants reach a sprawling 6-12 inches in height. Along with rosemary and sage thyme is an ingredient in bouquet garni, a meat and vegetables seasoning.
Characteristic essential oils and volatiles in aromatic herbs are synthesized in specific biochemical pathways. Rosmarinis, a polyphenol compound, that is synthesized in sage, rosemary, and thyme has anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and antioxidative activities; and is reported to relieve respiratory disorders, to stimulate hair growth and recently, treating Alzheimer's disease.
Our Thanksgiving trio originated in the Mediterranean region. They grow best in full sun in light, well-drained soils. While each are perennial, they may not be winterhardy in USDA zones colder than zone 7. They can be seed propagated if the gardener has patience. But they are slow growing and for that reason, most specimens are placed into the garden as small plants.
Some seed sources: in Texas, Willhite seed company, (800) 828-1840, willhiteseed.com; Johnny’s Select Seed, johnnyseeds.com, (877) 564-6697; Seed Savers Exchange, (563) 382-5990, seedsavers.org.
Tomorrow as you season your turkey and stuffing, remember herbs for a healthy, flavorful Happy Thanksgiving.
Note: Some information from pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov; The Secret Language of Flowers
Ellen Peffley taught horticulture at the college level for 28 years, 25 of those at Texas Tech, during which time she developed two onion varieties. She is now the sole proprietor of From the Garden, a market garden farmette. You can email her at gardens@suddenlink.net
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Gardening for You Peffley: Thanksgiving herb trio - LubbockOnline.com
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