Difference between revisions of "White sage"

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|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
 
|usda_ref=Flora - A Gardener's Encyclopedia
 
|max_zone=11
 
|max_zone=11
|image=Upload.png
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|image=Salvia apiana 2.jpg
|image_width=240
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|image_width=200
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{{Taxobox
 
| color = lightgreen
 
| name = White sage
 
| image = Salvia_apiana.jpg
 
| image_width = 240px
 
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
 
| divisio = [[Magnoliophyta]]
 
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
 
| ordo = [[Lamiales]]
 
| familia = [[Lamiaceae]]
 
| genus = ''[[Salvia]]''
 
| species = '''''S. apiana'''''
 
| binomial = ''Salvia apiana''
 
| binomial_authority = Jepson
 
 
}}
 
}}
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'''''Salvia apiana''''', also known as '''white sage''', '''bee sage''', or '''sacred sage''', is an [[evergreen]] [[Perennial plant|perennial]] [[shrub]] of the genus ''[[Salvia]]'', the sages. It is native to the southwestern [[United States]] and northwestern [[Mexico]], being found mainly in the [[coastal sage scrub]] habitat of [[Southern California]] and [[Baja California]], on the western edges of the [[Mojave Desert|Mojave]] and [[Sonoran desert]]s.
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White sage is a sub-shrub that can grow over 1 meter tall. The leaves (about 4–8 cm long) are generally basal and are covered with dense hairs, which give them a white coloring. The leaves are widely lanceolate with tapered bases, and the margins are minutely toothed. The [[inflorescence]] is a spike-like cluster with few flowers.  The white [[flower]]s have lavender spots and streaks. The flowers have a bilateral shape and are about 12–22 mm in length.  Both the [[stamen]]s and styles are exserted past the end of the flower lobes.  The 2.5– to 3-millimeter-long [[fruit]] is a shiny, light-brown [[nutlet]].
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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 1500 m elevation.
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==Cultivation==
  
'''White sage''' (''Salvia apiana''), also known as '''Sacred sage''', is an [[evergreen]] [[Perennial plant|perennial]] [[shrub]] of the genus ''[[Salvia]]'', the sages. It is native to the southwestern [[United States]] and northwestern [[Mexico]], being found mainly in the [[coastal sage scrub]] habitat of [[Southern California]] and [[Baja California]], on the western edges of the [[Mojave Desert|Mojave]] and [[Sonoran desert]]s.
 
  
== Morphology ==
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===Propagation===
White sage is a sub-shrub that is less than 1 m tall.  The leaves are widely lanceolate and tapered at the base.  The margin is minutely toothed and rounded.  The leaves are generally basal, covered with dense hairs, which gives it a white coloring, and are about 4–8 cm long.  The [[inflorescence]] is a spike-like clusters with few flowers.  The [[flower]]s are bilateral, about 12–22 mm in length, and are white with lavender spots and streaks.  Both the [[stamen]]s and styles are exserted.  The [[fruit]] form into shiny, light brown [[nutlet]]s that are 2.5–3 mm in size.
 
  
== Ecology and Reproduction ==
 
White sage is a common plant that requires well drained dry soil, full sun, and little water.    They occur on dry slopes in [[coastal sage scrub]], [[chaparral]], and yellow-pine forests of Southern California to Baja California at less than 1500 m elevation.
 
  
[[Bumblebee]]s, [[hawk moth]]s and [[wasp]]s [[Pollination|pollinate]] the White sage, and [[hummingbird]]s also appear to like the plant.
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===Pests and diseases===
  
The white sage typically flowers between May and August.
 
  
== Ethnobotany ==
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==Varieties==
[[North American Indians|Native Americans]] had several uses for this plant: seeds were ground into a [[flour]] and used for mush; leaves were used for flavoring in cooking; leaves were also eaten, smoked or used in a sweathouse as a remedy for colds; seeds were dropped into the eye and permitted to roll around under the eyelids in order to cleanse the eyes; and leaves were crushed and mixed with water to create a hair shampoo, dye and straightener.
 
  
White sage is also [[herbalism|used medicinally]]. It can be made into a tea, which decreases sweating, salivation, and mucous secretions in the sinuses, throat, and lungs.  Cold tea can be a good stomach tonic, while a lukewarm tea is good for treating sore throats.  The leaves can also be used as a uterine hemostatic tea for heavy menstruation; however, since it can also decrease lactation, nursing mothers are advised not to use it.
 
  
White sage is considered sacred by many Native Americans since it is used to make [[smudge stick]]s, a type of [[incense]]. White sage is believed to cleanse a space of any evil spirits that may be present. This power is said to be released from the plant by the burning of the leaves, which are typically bundled into a wand or stick. Today many Native American tribes still use the stems and leaves for smudging as part of purification ceremonies.
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==Gallery==
  
==See also==
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<gallery perrow=5>
* [[Medicinal plants of the American West]]
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File:Salvia apiana 3.jpg
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File:Salvia apiana Adelaide.jpg
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File:Salvia apiana 4.jpg
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</gallery>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
* [http://www.livingdesert.org/plants/white_sage.asp The Living Desert - White Sage fact sheet]
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<references/>
* [http://www.laspilitas.com/plants/604.htm ''Salvia apiana'']
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*[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963
* [http://biology.csusb.edu/PlantGuideFolder/SalviaApiana/SalviaApianaPage.htm Photograph of White sage]
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<!--- xxxxx  *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381  -->
* [http://plants.nrcs.usda.gov/plantguide/doc/cs_saap2.doc USDA]
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<!--- xxxxx  *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432  -->
* [http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Salvia+apiana Jepson Flora Project]
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<!--- xxxxx  *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608  -->
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==External links==
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*{{wplink}}
  
[[Category:Lamiaceae]]
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{{stub}}
[[Category:Plants and pollinators]]
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__NOTOC__
[[Category:Flora of California]]
 
[[Category:Flora of the Mojave Desert]]
 
[[Category:Flora of Baja California|Sage, White ]]
 

Latest revision as of 19:52, 7 May 2010


Salvia apiana 2.jpg


Plant Characteristics
Habit   shrub

Height: 4 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 4.
Width: 3 ft"ft" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 3.
Lifespan: perennial
Bloom: early spring, mid spring, late spring
Cultivation
Exposure: sun
Features: flowers
USDA Zones: 9 to 11
Flower features: blue, purple, white
Scientific Names

Lamiaceae >

Salvia >

apiana >


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

White sage is a sub-shrub that can grow over 1 meter tall. The leaves (about 4–8 cm long) are generally basal and are covered with dense hairs, which give them a white coloring. The leaves are widely lanceolate with tapered bases, and the margins are minutely toothed. The inflorescence is a spike-like cluster with few flowers. The white flowers have lavender spots and streaks. The flowers have a bilateral shape and are about 12–22 mm in length. Both the stamens and styles are exserted past the end of the flower lobes. The 2.5– to 3-millimeter-long fruit is a shiny, light-brown nutlet.

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 1500 m elevation.

Cultivation

Propagation

Pests and diseases

Varieties

Gallery

References

External links