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White Sage Salvia apiana

Description: One of some 900+ diverse Salvia species; most all of which are aromatic evergreen shrubs that favor dry, sunny, hot climates. The plant has whitish gray leaves and produces beautiful blue flowers.

White sage is traditionally used by native Southwestern North American tribes for use during sweat lodge ceremonies. Also used for incense but less so than desert and other sages, which are more commonly found growing across North America.

Today, white sage is widely used in incense smudges. It's often used to cleanse a space of negative energy which then is followed by the burning of sweet grass to provide positive energies to the space.

Threatened Species Alert: Status: Threatened: Cropwatch 2004 Listed as “To Watch” by Virginia Plant Savers (2007). Listed as “To Watch” by United Plant Savers (2007)

Family: Lamiaceae

Synonyms: Doh-loo-na

Origin: coastal regions of southern California, USA

Parts Used: dried leaves

Aroma Description: strong, fresh, herbaceous

Emotional Attributes: cleansing/purifying, meditative, enhances memory

Cosmetic Uses: none known

Culinary Uses: used to make sage tea

Medicinal Attributes: cooling herb used to treat wounds, burns, and rheumatism

Element Association: Air

Magical Associations: spirituality, protection, prosperity

Astrological Association: Sagittarius, Pisces

Planetary Association: Jupiter

Season: Spring, Summer

Aromatic Note: Base note

Essential Oil: none known

Mixes Well With: burgundy pitch, cedar, copal-gold, hyssop, juniper, lavender, mugwort, pine, rosemary, sage-desert, sweetgrass, thyme, etc.

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