Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is a predominate shrub of the West and a multi-use plant for Native Americans with different species having their individual uses. The leaves of Big Sagebrush are boiled to use as an inhalant or drank as a tea to treat colds. It can be used as a dye plant giving a greenish-grey color. It is also very good as a food for sheep and goats, imparting a unique sage flavor to the meat.
Bundles of sage are burned as a smug used as a blessing and an effective fumigant to disinfect your environment.
Harvesting Big Sagebrush occurs once a year in the late spring/early summer. Darrah Perez speaks of the importance of being spiritually rooted for this gathering. Plants are treated with respect and harvested through cuttings, while leaving the roots intact. Never take more than what is needed and respect the spirit of each plant. As Darrah Perez says, “All plants have spirit.” This truth is expressed by how the planted is treated.
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