White sage
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Lamiaceae Genus: Salvia Species: S. apiana
Binomial name
Salvia apiana Jepson

White sage (Salvia apiana), also known as Sacred sage, is an evergreen perennial shrub of the genus Salvia, the sages. It is native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, being found mainly in the coastal sage scrub habitat of Southern California and Baja California, on the western edges of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. Image File history File links Salvia_apiana. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Classes Magnoliopsida - Dicots Liliopsida - Monocots The flowering plants (also angiosperms or Magnoliophyta) are one of the major groups of modern plants, comprising those that produce seeds in specialized reproductive organs called flowers, where the ovulary or carpel is enclosed. ... Magnoliopsida is the botanical name for a class of flowering plants. ... Families See text The Order Lamiales is a taxon in the asterid group of dicotyledonous flowering plants. ... Genera Many, see text Ref: Delta 2002-07-22 Lamiaceae, or the Mint family, is a family of plants in about 180 genera and some 3,500 species. ... Species see List of Salvia species Salvia is a genus in the mint family, Lamiaceae. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... ‹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ... Red Valerian, a perennial plant. ... A broom shrub in flower A shrub or bush is a horticultural rather than strictly botanical category of woody plant, distinguished from a tree by its multiple stems and lower height, usually less than 6 m tall. ... Species see List of Salvia species Salvia is a genus in the mint family, Lamiaceae. ... Coastal sage scrub is a low scrubland plant community found in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of California and northern Baja California. ... This article is about the region of Southern California. ... Baja California (literally lower California in Spanish) is the northernmost state of Mexico. ... For the indigenous American tribe, see Mohave. ... Map of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. ...

Morphology

White sage is a sub-shrub that is less than 1 m tall. The leaves are widely lanceolate and tapered at the base. The margin is minutely toothed and rounded. The leaves are generally basal, covered with dense hairs, which gives it a white coloring, and are about 4–8 cm long. The inflorescence is a spike-like clusters with few flowers. The flowers are bilateral, about 12–22 mm in length, and are white with lavender spots and streaks. Both the stamens and styles are exserted. The fruit form into shiny, light brown nutlets that are 2.5–3 mm in size. Red clover inflorescence (spike) An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers on a branch of a plant. ... For other uses, see Flower (disambiguation). ... Stamens of the Amaryllis with prominent anthers carrying pollen Insects, while collecting nectar, unintentionally transfer pollen from one flower to another, bringing about pollination The stamen (from Latin stamen meaning thread of the warp) is the male organ of a flower. ... For other uses, see Fruit (disambiguation). ... A nutlet is a small nut. ...

Ecology and Reproduction

White sage is a common plant that requires well drained dry soil, full sun, and little water. They occur on dry slopes in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and yellow-pine forests of Southern California to Baja California at less than 1500 m elevation. Coastal sage scrub is a low scrubland plant community found in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of California and northern Baja California. ... Chaparral is a shrubland plant community found primarily in California, USA, that is shaped by a Mediterranean climate (mild, wet winters and hot dry summers) and wildfire. ...

Bumblebees, hawk moths and wasps pollinate the White sage, and hummingbirds also appear to like the plant. Species more than 250 species and subspecies in 38 subgenera Bumblebees (also spelled bumble bee, also known as humblebee) are flying insects of the genus Bombus in the family Apidae. ... Genera Macroglossinae Smerinthinae Sphinginae etc. ... For other uses, see Wasp (disambiguation). ... Carpenter bee with pollen collected from Night-blooming cereus Pollination is an important step in the reproduction of seed plants: the transfer of pollen grains (male gametes) to the plant carpel, the structure that contains the ovule (female gamete). ... For other uses, see Hummingbird (disambiguation). ...

The white sage typically flowers between May and August.

Ethnobotany

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. Native Americans (also Indians, Aboriginal Peoples, American Indians, First Nations, Alaskan Natives, Amerindians, or Indigenous Peoples of America) are the indigenous inhabitants of The Americas prior to the European colonization, and their modern descendants. ... For other uses, see Flour (disambiguation). ...

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. Dioscorides’ Materia Medica, c. ...

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. Making smudge sticks. ... Incense is composed of aromatic organic materials. ...

See also

• Medicinal plants of the American West

Medicinal plants of the American West are often under-represented in modern health care. ...

References

• The Living Desert - White Sage fact sheet
• Salvia apiana
• Photograph of White sage
• USDA
• Jepson Flora Project