white sage potted plant White Sage 'Salvia apiana'

White Sage or Bee Sage (Salvia apiana) is a perennial shrub native to Santa Barbara County to Baja California, Mexico. The indigenous tribes of these regions, including Kumeyaay, Luiseño, Cupeño, Cahuilla, Chumash, Kiliwa, and Gabrieleno/Tongva have used it for smudging and purification (its leaves have a distinct aroma when burned), as well as food and medicine. These seeds are cultivated on two farms in our region under certified organic conditions. They are not wildcrafted, wild harvested, or "sustainability wild harvested."

Key features: 

• Silvery grey foliage when mature (baby seedlings are green). 
• Drought tolerant. 
• Our white sage seed is cultivated on our own farm and certified organic.
• Our seeds are NOT wildcrafted/wild harvested. We have maintained cultivated stands of white sage plants for seed for over a decade. 
• Grow your own - this is the only ethical way to engage with this plant.

Large mammals such as deer, antelope, elk, mountain sheep, and rabbits will eat the young foliage, and the small white to pale lavender flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other insects. Small mammals such as squirrels and rabbits, and birds such as sparrows, grouse, and quail will eat mature seeds. 

White Sage can reach between 3-4 feet tall, but when in flower, plant stalks can reach well over eight feet. It may take multiple years for plants to reach this height, but soil type and climate helps the plant reach its ideal. White Sage is also drought tolerant. In fact, over-watering can kill or cause plants to lodge (tip over) from the center.