Salvia apiana - White Sage, Bee Sage, or Sacred Sage Seeds - Ethnobotanical

Salvia apiana Seeds

White Sage, Bee Sage, Sacred Sage

Native Americans had several uses for this plant: seeds were ground into a flour and used for mush; leaves were used for flavoring in cooking; leaves were also eaten, smoked or used in a sweathouse as a remedy for colds; seeds were dropped into the eye and permitted to roll around under the eyelids in order to cleanse the eyes; and leaves were crushed and mixed with water to create a hair shampoo, dye and straightener. White sage is also used medicinally. It can be made into a tea, which decreases sweating, salivation, and mucous secretions in the sinuses, throat, and lungs. Cold tea can be a good stomach tonic, while a lukewarm tea is good for treating sore throats. The leaves can also be used as a uterine hemostatic tea for heavy menstruation; however, since it can also decrease lactation, nursing mothers are advised not to use it. White sage is considered sacred by many Native Americans since it is used to make smudge sticks, a type of incense. White sage is believed to cleanse a space of any evil spirits that may be present. This power is said to be released from the plant by the burning of the leaves, which are typically bundled into a wand or stick. Today many Native American tribes still use the stems and leaves for smudging as part of purification ceremonies. The practice has also been adopted by some modern neopagans.