4. Salvia mellifera “Black Sage” Kasili

 

Food: The leaves, stalks and seeds of S. mellifera were eaten.

The seeds were parched and ground into a “meal”. They were also used for flavoring of meat, fowl, and fish.

A mild tea was made from S. mellifera.

Medicinal: A poultice was made from heated leaves and used for earaches and also applied to the throat for sore throats.

An infusion of the plant was used for coughs.

Spiritual: Mellifera was added to S. apiana for "smudging".

Warning: Do not use if pregnant. Sages contain "thujone" which can trigger fits in epileptics.

Openly branched shrub, herb.

S. mellifera blossoms April to July.

Whitish to lavender.

S. mellifera can be found on dry slopes and benches, below 2000 ft.; Coastal Sage Scrub and Chaparral.