Sage

7th Fire Warriors
Mar 9
4 min read

Botanical Identification

Common Names: Prairie Sage, White Sagebrush, Dakota Sage, Smudge Sage, White Sage.
Latin Name: Artemisia ludoviciana (Prairie Sage/White Sagebrush) and Salvia apiana (California White Sage). Note: Most Plains and Woodland tribes traditionally use the Artemisia species, while Salvia is native to Southwestern and California tribes.
Plant Species: Artemisia belongs to the aster family (Asteraceae), while Salvia belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae).
Known Habitat: Prairie Sage (Artemisia ludoviciana) thrives in dry, sandy, or rocky soils across the Great Plains, Midwest, and Western North America. It is incredibly resilient, often found in open meadows and prairies. California White Sage (Salvia apiana) requires the dry, arid coastal scrub ecosystems of Southern California and northern Baja California.

How to Correctly Identify Sage

Identifying traditional Sage requires looking at its distinct coloration and experiencing its unforgettable aroma.

The Leaves: Both Prairie Sage and White Sage are famous for their silvery-white or pale grayish-green leaves. Prairie sage leaves are typically lance-shaped, narrow, and covered in fine, white, woolly hairs. California White Sage leaves are broader, thicker, and more rigid.
The Stems and Flowers: Prairie sage grows in tall, slender stalks that can reach 2 to 3 feet high, producing tiny, inconspicuous yellowish flowers late in the summer.
The Scent: The most unmistakable identifier is the aroma. When the leaves are rubbed between the fingers, they release a sharp, deeply herbaceous, and highly aromatic scent caused by rich volatile oils like camphor.

Critical Precautions

At-Risk Status (White Sage): California White Sage (Salvia apiana) is currently facing a severe crisis of overharvesting and poaching due to the commercial "New Age" smudging trend. It is critical to source White Sage ethically from Indigenous growers, or better yet, use the Sage native to your specific region (like Artemisia).
Internal Use: Sage contains powerful compounds, including thujone and camphor. While safe for smudging, Sage tea should be consumed strictly in moderation and only for short periods.
Pregnancy: Sage should not be used internally by pregnant or nursing women, as its active compounds can stimulate uterine contractions and affect milk supply.

Traditional American Indian Use

Sage is one of the Four Sacred Medicines (alongside Sweetgrass, Cedar, and Tobacco). It is widely used by the Anishinaabe, Lakota, Dakota, Cheyenne, Navajo (Diné), and numerous coastal and southwestern nations.

In the Medicine Wheel, Sage is most often associated with the Western direction and the setting sun. While Sweetgrass is used to invite good spirits in, Sage is the ultimate medicine for driving negative energy out. It is the primary medicine used to prepare spaces for ceremony, to cleanse regalia, and to purify the mind, body, and spirit of individuals before prayer. Physically, traditional healers have used mild infusions of Sage to treat digestive issues, relieve stomach cramps, stem internal bleeding, and reduce fevers by promoting sweating.

How to Harvest Responsibly

Because of the extreme commercialization of Sage, ethical harvesting—guided by traditional ecological knowledge—is more critical than ever.

Offer Tobacco (Assema): Always offer tobacco to the earth before you begin, stating your intentions and offering gratitude for the plant's life.
The Pinch, Not the Pull: Never pull Sage up by its roots. Use sharp shears or pinch the stem off above the lower leaves. This allows the root system to remain intact so the plant can return the following spring.
Leave the Grandfathers: Never harvest the largest, oldest plants in a patch. Leave them to go to seed to ensure the survival of the colony. Never take more than you need for your family or community.

Safely Preparing Sage for Medicinal Use

Cleaning and Processing: Shake the harvested stalks to free any insects so they can remain in their habitat.
Drying: Tie the stems together in small bunches and hang them upside down in a warm, dark, and well-ventilated space. Alternatively, lay the leaves flat on screens. Keep them out of direct sunlight to preserve their essential oils.
Creating a Smudge Stick: While the stalks are still fresh and pliable, they can be folded and bound tightly with cotton string. As the bundle dries, it will shrink and tighten, creating a traditional smudge stick.
The Smudge (Purification): Place dried loose leaves or a lit bundle in an abalone shell or fire-safe bowl. Use a feather or your hand to waft the smoke over your head, heart, and body to clear away heavy feelings, sickness, and negative thoughts.
Medicinal Tea: For digestive distress or a sore throat, steep a very small amount (half a teaspoon) of dried Prairie Sage leaves in hot water for 5 minutes. The tea is extremely bitter and should be used sparingly as medicine, not as a casual beverage.

Other Traditional Uses

Sundance and Sweatlodge: In Lakota and other Plains traditions, Sage is woven into crowns, wristbands, and anklets worn by Sun Dancers. It is also laid down to create a holy floor inside the Inipi (Sweat Lodge).
Pest Deterrent: The strong camphor scent of Sage naturally repels insects. Dried bundles were historically stored with food caches and clothing to keep moths and weevils away.
Deodorizer: The antimicrobial properties of the smoke physically kill airborne bacteria, making it an excellent traditional method for purifying the air in a home after an illness.

References

Geniusz, M. S. (2015). Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have to Do Is Ask: Anishinaabe Botanical Teachings. University of Minnesota Press.
Kimmerer, R. W. (2013). Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions.
Moerman, D. E. (n.d.). Artemisia ludoviciana and Salvia apiana. Native American Ethnobotany Database.
United Plant Savers. (2019). Species At-Risk List: White Sage.