Sage has a long history of use in Egyptian, Roman, and Greek medicine, as well as in Native American healing traditions. Dried sage is burned as a way to heal, protect, increase wisdom, and boost defense against disease. Burning sage, also known as smudging, involves burning sage leaves and letting the smoke purify the air in your home.

White sage, Salvia apiana, sacred sage, the most well known among Sage species.

White sage is a medicinal plant that is primarily used in incense rituals. Native to the southwestern United States and north-western Mexico, it is well renowned for its cleansing properties.

California white sage (Salvia apiana) has long been used by Native American peoples in traditional incense rituals. Today, it has become popular due its purifying effect. 

Botanically, white sage (Salvia apiana) and common sage (Salvia officinalis) belong to the same genus (Salvia). Both plants contain tannins, bitter compounds, flavonoids, resins and essential oils. 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.

The hairless and mostly green leaves of common sage can easily be distinguished from the whitish-green leaves of white sage. Furthermore, common sage is far more hardy than white sage and usually regrows from its old woody stems in spring, whereas white sage must be protected from frost. In addition to common sage and white sage, there are many other types of sage that can be used in the kitchen, as medicinal plants or as attractive plants in the garden.

While medical research on white sage is still in its early stages, there are a host of well-known benefits to burning this special herb. Recent studies have begun to investigate the use of white sage as a natural treatment for conditions like depression, cancer, heart disease and obesity.  

While there are countless properties of white sage that can enrich your life, we’ve picked out five of our favourite things about this incredible plant:

1. Antibacterial properties – white sage helps to clear away nasty toxins and chemicals that we are exposed to throughout our day-to-day lives. It removes bacteria from the air, as well as keeping fungi and viruses away from our living or working spaces.  
2. Allergic relief – symptoms caused from exposure to dust, pollen and mould can be alleviated by white sage, as it releases negative ions which neutralise positive ones.  
3. Spiritual enhancer – white sage induces a sense of calm and feelings of peace to significantly improve your overall well-being. Traditionally, it has been used to provide guidance throughout spiritual impasses and assist with meditation. 
4. Relieve stress – white sage can stimulate receptors in the brain, as it is bountiful in compounds that help to reduce stress and elevate mood levels.  
5. Improve sleep – the same compounds that reduce stress can also have an effect on your quality of sleep. Research has suggested that white sage can ease insomnia and soothe anxiety.