Plebeian sage is a small, weedy wild sage of damp fields and ditches, native to much of Asia and to Australia but not to North America. Its species name, plebeia, means "common," a good fit for a plant that turns up on field edges and roadsides.
Appearance
- Growth form
- An annual or biennial herb with upright, square stems about 6 in to 3 ft (15–90 cm) tall across its whole range; in Korea and Japan plants are usually 1–2 ft (30–70 cm).
- Leaves
- Opposite, oval to lance-shaped leaves with blunt teeth.
- Flowers
- Tiny flowers, only about 3/16 in (4.5 mm) long, in tiers along slender spikes. They are usually pale purple to blue, sometimes reddish, rarely white.
Where it lives
- Typical habitats
- wet fields
- streamsides
- roadsides
- hillsides
- Range
- Native across much of Asia, including Korea, Japan, China, and India, and in Malaysia and Australia. It is not native to North America.
- Preferred conditions
- Grows on hillsides, streamsides, and in wet fields from sea level up to about 9,200 ft (2,800 m).
Conservation
- IUCN Red List
- NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed
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