What's this one? help needed

[Gatolupa]

Hi everybody, this is my first post. Someone gave me a plant a few days ago as a present, she said she uses it for cooking sometimes but didn't tell me what it was. I'm uploading some photos, maybe you can help me toidentify it!!! it smells good... (reminds me to turpentine with a little bit of mint)

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ok, now one more thing I'm trying to figure out. I bought these plants as "sage", one of them is "Salvia officinalis" I think (the green one), but I don't know what the other is, the one whose leaves have white/reddish borders.
Can I use both of them for cooking or making infusions?

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Thank you very much for your help!

[Hortoholic]

Hi Gatolupa,

Mint is what your first plant is, it may even be chocolate mint...


Second plants are sage but your colorful one is called S. Officinalis "Tricolor" - I dry both for cooking herbs and they both taste great.

[Gatolupa]

Thanks a lot for your help Hortoholic!!!
Chocolate mint, right? so what is this, an hybrid or something? I have some mentha piperita plants and they're so different from this one (longer leaves, much stronger flavour, etc) that I would have never imagined they were the same genus.

Speaking of drying plants for cooking, what's the best way to do it?

Thanks again, see you soon!

[Hortoholic]

I put all herb cuttings in a paper bag and leave them in a dry, dark & cool place to dry. That's it.

Make sure your cuttings are clean before you put them into the bag....

[Gatolupa]

thanks again Hortoholic!