white sage.
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.
Can I use garden 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.
How do I harvest my sage for smudging?
Please NEVER pull the sage up by the root and don’t harvest the whole patch…just take some, maybe what you think is the most mature (these will more than likely be the tallest stems). Get down low on the stem and just cut it off using some heavy scissors or pruning shears.
What color is sage is best for smudging?
White sage is the most common variety you’ll find in a smudge stick, since the color is associated with purity. However, other dried plants such as juniper, rosemary, and cedar can also be used to clear energy if sage isn’t your thing.
What is the best sage to grow?
Sage varieties to try
- Salvia officinalis – hardy evergreen with aromatic, grey-green leaves and pale-blue flowers.
- Salvia lavandulifolia – neat, very aromatic and frost-hardy with mauve flowers.
- Salvia microphylla var.
- Salvia viridis var.
- ‘Tangerine’ – frost-hardy perennial with red flowers.
Is it OK to grow white sage?
Growing white sage is unlike growing other types of plants, but with the right care, you will not have much trouble getting it to thrive. It is a plant that is native to California, but it can easily grow in zones five through nine with the right growing conditions. In fact, it can grow to be three to eight feet tall.
Do you dry sage before burning?
Many people who burn smudge sticks as a religious practice INSIST on locally grown sage that was grown with ‘good intent’. If you ARE growing it, be sure to give it a light rinse and let it air dry BEFORE you make your bundles.
Do you wash sage leaves before drying?
Next, remove the sage leaves from the stem, taking care to discard any dried-out or discolored leaves. Wash them in a colander under running water, shake any excess water, and dry with a tea towel or paper towel. Now you’re ready to dry your sage using one of the following techniques.
How long do sage plants live?
In these areas, grow Salvia officinalis as an annual. Otherwise, this sage plant is hardy in Zones 4 to 8, although its lifespan as a perennial usually winds down between three and five years.
Should you let sage flower?
Generally, these plants are grown for their edible foliage, and many gardeners choose to pinch off the flowers. This encourages plants to use their energy to produce tender leaves instead of seeds. If you let your plants bloom, cut back below the start of the bloom stalks once they fade to encourage new growth.
Is it OK to burn blue sage?
Blue Sage’s soothing, relaxing smell can be used to aid meditation, or burned simply for enjoyment.
Can you reuse smudge sticks?
You can reuse the same smudge stick until there is nothing left to burn. Ideally, you should use a new smudge for each cleansing.
What is the difference between white sage and garden sage?
The key distinction is in how the two species are used. While common sage is often used in cooking, white sage is more commonly used in incense rituals and as a fragrant plant. This is because white sage exudes a much more intense, tart and resinous scent. Another distinguishing feature is the leaves.
Does sage grow back every year?
A majority of herbs are perennials throughout most of the United States. That means they come back year after year and usually get bigger or spread in territory each year. Some of our most-used cooking herbs are perennials, including sage, oregano and thyme.
Is any sage poisonous?
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 I grow sage indoors?
Sage does best in medium to full sun. It can also do well in containers or indoors – just be sure it’s near a sunny window if you’re growing it inside. If you live in zones 5 to 8, your sage will be a hardy perennial.
Why is white sage sacred?
White sage is burned for meditation, smudging and cleansing of spirit and dwelling. In some beliefs, white sage smoke is believed to provide a barrier that prevents negative spirits from entering the room in which the ceremony is being held.
Why is my white sage dying?
The reason for sage plants wilting or drooping can be because of over watering, fungal disease, too much fertilizer or under watering. Sage is a drought resistant plant and sensitive to too much moisture around the roots so over watering is the most common cause of a sage plant wilting.
What does it mean when sage won’t stay lit?
If the sage bundle was packed too tight when made, then the oxygen can’t get in properly and the sage won’t stay lit. Loosen the ribbon around the sage and take the tip you are lighting and smash it on to a surface to give it a little breathing room. This helps to keep your sage smoking.
Do you burn the whole sage stick?
A common misconception with sage smudging is that you need to burn the whole stick, but D’Avilla suggests burning as much or as little as you need. “You don’t need to use an entire smudge stick,” she says.
What is female sage?
The male is called sage cock , and the female sage hen .