BT-050 · Lamiaceae

White sage

Salvia apiana

Evidence: TraditionalGenerally safeOverharvested

Juniper in Anatolia, arça in Central Asia, white sage in California: in three regions, people cleanse home and body with smoke.

Other names: Sacred sage, ak adaçayı (Turkish)
Part used: Leaves
Region: North America
Use: Incense and protection, Ritual and shamanic, Healing

Photo: HLWolfe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

In short

What is White sage?

White sage (Salvia apiana) is a plant of the Lamiaceae family. Traditions that use it: North America. Part used: leaves.

What is White sage used for?

Traditional use: A sacred plant of the Kumeyaay, Chumash and Cahuilla peoples of Southern California. Scientific evidence: traditional. Its essential oil is rich in cineole and camphor.

Is White sage safe?

Safety label: generally safe. Its smoke can irritate the airways indoors. Internal use is not recommended in pregnancy.

Traditional use

North America

A sacred plant of the Kumeyaay, Chumash and Cahuilla peoples of Southern California. Bundles are burned in cleansing ceremonies; its tea and steam are used for colds.

In nature

Where it grows: Coastal scrub (chaparral) of Southern California and Baja California.
Harvest season: Leaves are picked in summer.
Local names: ak adaçayı, beyaz adaçayı; white sage

Mix-up risk

Bundles of other Salvia or Artemisia may be sold as white sage.

Preparation

Bundles of dried leaves are burned.

What science says

Its essential oil is rich in cineole and camphor. Antimicrobial effects have been seen in the lab; there are no human studies.

Safety

Generally safe

Its smoke can irritate the airways indoors. Internal use is not recommended in pregnancy.

Conservation

IUCN: Not evaluated
Note: Commercial demand has increased unauthorised wild harvesting in California. Indigenous communities object to the plant being sold cut off from their traditions.
Alternative: Cultivated white sage; or local incense such as juniper, bay and Anatolian sage.