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White Sage
White Sage
White Sage
White Sage
White Sage
White Sage

White Sage

$4.99 - $320.00

White Sage (Salvia apiana) is a perennial shrub native to Santa Barbara County to Baja California, Mexico. The indigenous tribes of these regions, including Kumeyaay, Luiseño, Cupeño, Cahuilla, Chumash, Kiliwa, and Gabrieleno/Tongva have used it for smudging and purification (its leaves have a distinct aroma when burned), as well as food and medicine. These seeds are cultivated on two farms in our region under certified organic conditions. They are not wildcrafted, wild harvested, or "sustainability wild harvested."

Size: Packet: 100 seeds (0.25 gram), OG

White Sage or Bee Sage (Salvia apiana) is a perennial shrub native to Santa Barbara County to Baja California, Mexico. The indigenous tribes of these regions, including Kumeyaay, Luiseño, Cupeño, Cahuilla, Chumash, Kiliwa, and Gabrieleno/Tongva have used it for smudging and purification (its leaves have a distinct aroma when burned), as well as food and medicine. These seeds are cultivated on two farms in our region under certified organic conditions. They are not wildcrafted, wild harvested, or "sustainability wild harvested."

Key features: 
  • Silvery grey foliage when mature (baby seedlings are green). 
  • Drought tolerant. 
  • Our white sage seed is cultivated on our own farm and certified organic.
  • Our seeds are NOT wildcrafted/wild harvested. We have maintained cultivated stands of white sage plants for seed for over a decade. 
  • Grow your own - this is the only ethical way to engage with this plant.
Large mammals such as deer, antelope, elk, mountain sheep, and rabbits will eat the young foliage, and the small white to pale lavender flowers attract hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other insects. Small mammals such as squirrels and rabbits, and birds such as sparrows, grouse, and quail will eat mature seeds. 

White Sage can reach between 3-4 feet tall, but when in flower, plant stalks can reach well over eight feet. It may take multiple years for plants to reach this height, but soil type and climate helps the plant reach its ideal. White Sage is also drought tolerant. In fact, over-watering can kill or cause plants to lodge (tip over) from the center.

    We’ve worked with our own white sage seed for more than a decade, and this has improved the germination rates compared to wild harvested seed. However, because white sage is still a genetically wild plant, expect seeds to display a fair amount of dormancy, meaning they may not sprout evenly or all at once like a typical garden vegetable. 

    A light, sandy-textured soil medium is ideal for starting sage seeds, but a typical garden soil also works fine. Sow 3-5 seeds per cell for every single plant desired. Keep seeds consistently moist throughout their germination period. 

    Baby seedlings are green, with foliage turning to the iconic silvery grey as it mature. Transplant seedlings outdoors when they reach two to three inches in height. White Sage is drought tolerant, but moderate watering toward the beginning of plants lifecycle helps them get established. As the plants mature, gradually reduce waterings to 1-2 times a week. Overwatering can kill or cause plants to lodge (tip over) from the center. White Sage will produce harvestable foliage about 120 days from seeding under ideal conditions. Plants can reach between 3-4 feet tall but plant stalks can reach well over eight feet when in flower. It may take multiple years for plants to reach this height and your results may vary based on soil type and climate. 

    For container growing, continually pot up as needed and bring indoors with an equivalent full sun plant light setup when substantial frosts occur. As substantial outdoor frosts will kill plants, so if you are in a region with cold winters, consider growing the plants as an annual.

    Common Name:
    White Sage
    Scientific Name:
    Salvia apiana
    Description:
    A drought tolerant sage with tall flowering stalks and highly aromatic silvery gray leaves.
    Plant Lifespan:
    Perennial
    Cold Hardiness (F):
    Zone 9a (20 to 25)
    Light Requirements:
    Full Sun (min. 6 hours a day)
    Seed In:
    Spring-Summer
    Seeding Depth:
    1/4 in.
    Days to Sprout:
    7-21
    Optimal Soil Temperature (F):
    65
    Plant Spacing:
    3-4 ft.
    Average Days from Seed to Harvest:
    100-150

    Collections: All Products Bulk Sizes Sage Southern California Native Plant Seeds

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