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Sage Brush (Artemesia tridentata)
Big sage Brush, High Desert Sage. This shrubby member of the artemesia family has been used in ceremony by Native peoples for generations. Sage brush can be found from British Columbia, south into Mexico in the high desert and dry plains areas where it thrives. The smell of a sage covered hillside after a spring rain is an indescribable pleasure for those of us who have been blessed to live amongst this plant. Historically, Sage Brush has been used to treat rheumatism, as an antiseptic, a digestive, a dewormer, as an eye wash, for sore throats, and respiratory conditions. Externally, the plant was used as a liniment for joint pain, a hair rinse for dandruff and hair loss, an insect repellant, and to disinfect a room. The fibrous bark was woven into baskets and mats and used as insulation in clothing while the inner bark was used to make paper. In ritual, Sage has been used to purify and cleanse an area by burning it as an incense or rubbing the leaves on the skin . The sage sticks were excellent for fire starting by friction and make great fire wood. When planted in a rock garden with full sun and excellent drainage, Sagebrush can be a beautiful garden specimen with its twisted trunk and rounded shrubby form it can reach up to 7 feet in height. Extremely drought tolerant once established and even deer do not bother this plant. Hardy perennial to zone 4.
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