The oil of Clary sage has an odor similar to ambergris and is used in perfumes, soaps, cosmetics, aromatherapy, and as a flavoring, especially for muscatel wines. The plant also has medicinal uses.
Clary sage forms a rosette of large, velvety leaves the first year.
The stalks of pink to white flowers produced the second year may be up to 5 ft tall. Fall sown plants will bloom the next year, after vernalization. The plant is adapted to a dry climate and produces more oil under low fertility and moisture. The plant is harvested during late bloom, when the seeds are at the milky stage. Most of the oil is in the flowering stalk, so the plant should be cut to include the inflorescence and only the top few pairs of leaves.