Where Can I Find Sage In The Wild?

Salvia apiana, the white sage, bee sage, or sacred sage is an evergreen perennial shrub that is native to the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, found mainly in the coastal sage scrub habitat of Southern California and Baja California, on the western edges of the Mojave and Sonoran deserts.

Where can I find sage leaves?

Come closer to the herb and observe its leaves and stems for the following characteristics found in sage: purple or green woody, square stems covered in a fine down. Leaves have a leathery texture also covered with soft hair and are stalked and opposite.

What is wild sage?

Definition of wild sage
1 : a Eurasian sage (Salvia verbenaca) that is naturalized in North America and has blue flowers and foliage resembling that of the verbena. — called also vervain sage, wild clary. 2 : sagebrush.

Can you pick sage in California?

Under California State law, no one is allowed to harvest white sage growing on public land for commercial sale.

Is it OK to pick wild sage?

When Should I Harvest Sage? Sage harvesting can be done at almost any time, but you’ll get the best flavor when you pick leaves before the plant blooms. You can extend harvesting by picking off flowers as the buds develop, but it is also possible to harvest as the plants are blooming and after.

Is Sagebrush the same as sage?

It’s not a sage.
In this case sage, or Salvia, is an herb used as a spice and for its medicinal properties, and it’s a member of the mint family (Lamiaceae, to botanists). But sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata, is in another family altogether, the sunflower family (Asteraceae).

Is Wild sage poisonous?

But sage is possibly unsafe when taken in high doses or for a long time. Some species of sage, including common sage (Salvia officinalis), contain a chemical called thujone. Too much thujone can cause seizures and damage the liver and nervous system.

Where does sage grow?

Mediterranean region
Sage is native to the Mediterranean region and is used fresh or dried as a flavouring in many foods, particularly in stuffings for poultry and pork and in sausages. Some varieties are also grown as ornamentals for their attractive leaves and flowers. Several other species of the genus Salvia are also known as sage.

Is it OK to let sage flower?

Culinary Use
If you let your plants bloom, cut back below the start of the bloom stalks once they fade to encourage new growth. The sage flowers can also be used in salads and other dishes the same way as sage leaves while also adding a refreshing splash of color.

Is there a wild sage?

Munz’s Sage (Salvia munzii) is a rare, and fairly small native shrub that grows in the southern part of the Peninsular Range in California, and down into Baja California, Mexico, where it is relatively common. It grows at elevations from 500-3000 feet, usually in very dry conditions.

What is wild sage good for?

Sage is used for digestive problems, including loss of appetite, gas (flatulence), stomach pain (gastritis), diarrhea, bloating, and heartburn. It is also used for reducing overproduction of perspiration and saliva; and for depression, memory loss, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Can you use wild sage for smudging?

Garden or common sage will do the trick, too. Other smudging plants to use include cedar, sweetgrass, and sagebrush. Various herbs and wildflowers make as wonderful additions to your smudge stick. Resinous herbs you may have laying around that you can use include thyme, yarrow, lavender, rosemary, and pine.

Is white sage illegal?

In some cases permits are given on public lands for commercial harvest of economically valued plants, but in the case of white sage no such permit exists. The only way this would be legal is if harvesting took place on private land with permission.

Is it OK to pick white sage?

Unless it is part of your indigenous Native American practice, don’t pick and don’t buy white sage. That is an abomination of traditional spiritual and healing uses of white sage. If you want some white sage we grow it and we’ll give it to you for free.

Is white sage rare?

White sage is a common plant that requires well-drained dry soil, full sun, and little water. The plant occurs on dry slopes in coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and yellow-pine forests of Southern California to Baja California at less than 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) elevation.

Do you dry sage before burning?

You can also grow your own sage and dry it for burning. Trim the sage rather than pulling it out by the root. Do not cut stems from the plant until you are sure that it is able to sustain itself and will not die after you cut it. After cutting the sage, gather it in a bundle, tie it, and hang it in a dry place.

What sage can you burn?

What Type of Sage Do You Burn? Sage comes in several varieties. Healers and herbalists typically use white sage, also known as California or bee sage, for burning. Common sage, lavender sage, blue sage, black sage, and other types each have their own unique qualities, Yeager says.

Can you grow your own sage to burn?

You can use a number of different herbs in smudging rituals, including common sage, lavender sage, cedar, pinon pine, juniper or rosemary. For many people, however, white sage is the only way to go. You can grow white sage from seedlings or cuttings, but it’s probably best for beginners to start from purchased plants.

Is sage poisonous to humans?

Sage is considered safe with no reported side effects ( 46 ). However, some people are concerned about thujone, a compound found in common sage. Animal research has found that high doses of thujone may be toxic to the brain ( 47 ). That said, there is no good evidence that thujone is toxic to humans ( 48 ).

Can you eat sage brush?

The role of this Native Herb in Cooking:
Sagebrush can be used in preparing a lot of dishes. These dishes may include drinks such as those which various fruits in them. Mostly cocktails are made with the help of sage brush as a good additive in the form of a flavor booster.

What does edible sage look like?

Culinary Sage Plants
This particular sage has soft, silvery green leaves that can be used fresh or dried. It is also known to attract beneficial insects, which are attracted to its purple-blue flowers.