white sage
Sacred cleansing plant
White sage is a shrubby plant native to the American Southwest, with silvery-white leaves and a strong, distinctive scent.
It is widely used in smudging—the practice of burning dried herb bundles to cleanse spaces or people of negative energy, particularly in Native American spiritual traditions and New Age rituals: She lit the white sage before meditation.
Making blurry marks
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- cleansingRemoving dirt or toxins
- purificationRemoval of contaminants
sacred · blessing · altar · prayer · intention · bundle · wand · shell
Pleasing olfactory quality
- scentAirborne odor detected
- aromaPleasant distinctive smell
- pungentSharply strong-smelling
- camphorAromatic crystalline insect deterrent
essential oil · diffuser · incense · smoke · resinous · earthy · herbaceous · olfactory
Original inhabitants of America
- LakotaWestern Sioux people
- NavajoSouthwestern indigenous people
- ancestralOf one's forebears
- traditional knowledgeCommunity wisdom across generations
ethnobotany · cultural heritage · tribal · sacred plant · overharvesting · ethical sourcing · land acknowledgment · indigenous rights
Small woody plant
- perennialRecurring each year
- silveryPale metallic sheen
- foliagePlant's leafy covering
- drought-tolerantAble to withstand aridity
California native · chaparral · evergreen · aromatic leaves · cultivation · propagation · pollinator · seedling
Unsustainable resource extraction
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- ethical sourcingProcurement respecting people and planet
- poachingUnlawful wildlife capture
cultivated · native habitat · protection · sustainable harvest · restoration
Having healing properties
- antimicrobialKills or inhibits germs
- teaSteeped leaf beverage
- infusionSteeping to extract essence
- remedyCurative treatment or fix
folk medicine · respiratory · sore throat · digestive · astringent · antioxidant · tincture · poultice
smudging
Making blurry marks
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
- cleansingRemoving dirt or toxins
purification · sacred · blessing · altar · prayer · intention · bundle · wand · shell · feather
fragrance
Pleasing olfactory quality
camphor · essential oil · diffuser · incense · smoke · resinous · earthy · herbaceous · olfactory · bouquet
Native American
Original inhabitants of America
traditional knowledge · ethnobotany · cultural heritage · tribal · sacred plant · overharvesting · ethical sourcing · land acknowledgment · indigenous rights · reservation
shrub
Small woody plant
drought-tolerant · California native · chaparral · evergreen · aromatic leaves · cultivation · propagation · pollinator · seedling · nursery
overharvesting
Unsustainable resource extraction
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- endangeredAt risk of extinction
- ethical sourcingProcurement respecting people and planet
poaching · cultivated · native habitat · protection · sustainable harvest · restoration
medicinal
Having healing properties
- antimicrobialKills or inhibits germs
- teaSteeped leaf beverage
- infusionSteeping to extract essence
remedy · folk medicine · respiratory · sore throat · digestive · astringent · antioxidant · tincture · poultice · dried leaves
- incenseincense burner, incense stick, incense burning, incense cone, incense holder
- California natureCalifornia condor, California poppy, California sea lion, coast redwood, redwood
- California plantsCalifornia poppy, coast redwood, giant sequoia, Joshua tree, manzanita
- incense scentsfrankincense, myrrh, sandalwood, nag champa, patchouli
- native plantsdogwood, wildflowers, milkweed, juniper, goldenrod
- aromaticsperfume, incense, cologne, essential oils, essential oil
white sageasafoetida
Dried aromatic gum resin
sulfur · graveyard dirt · black salt · dragon's blood · palo santo