Taxonomy

• Family Name:
• Botanical Name: Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt.
• Common Name: White sage, Silver wormwood, white sagebrush, wild sage, prairie sage, wormwood, white mugwort, western mugwort, Louisiana sage, darkleaf mugwort, Mexican sagewort, Chihuahua sagewort, Garfield tea, lobed cudweed, man sage

Description

This plant was and is used for cleansing and purification and in making smudge sticks. It also has many other uses including making a poultice of leaves to heal old sores or as a compress for headaches or fevers. It is also used as an infusion of leaves to heal tonsillitis and sore throats. The leaves can also be used in a bath for fevers, to relieve aching feet and to prevent nosebleeds. Some use white sage for colds, coughs, headaches, and stomachaches, as a compress for fevers, to stop diarrhea, as a physic, as a regulator of menstrual disorders, and for influenza. 

Leaves and flowering heads are used as a flavouring or garnish for sauces, gravies etc. A herb tea can be made from the leaves and flowering heads.

Toxicity

Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt. is poisonous in large doses. The Food and Drug Administration (USA) classifies Artemisia as an unsafe herb containing —a volatile oil which is an active narcotic poison“.

References:

plants.usda.gov

linnet.geog.ubc.ca

temperate.theferns.info/

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

wildflower.org (photo only)

Synonyms:

Artemisia diversifolia
Artemisia gnaphalodes Nutt.
Artemisia ludoviciana subsp. typica
Artemisia ludoviciana var. americana
Artemisia ludoviciana var. brittonii
Artemisia ludoviciana var. gnaphalodes
Artemisia ludoviciana var. latifolia
Artemisia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana Nutt.
Artemisia ludoviciana var. pabularis
Artemisia pabularis
Artemisia purshiana
Artemisia vulgaris subsp. ludoviciana (Nutt.)
Artemisia vulgaris var. ludoviciana (Nutt.)

Disclaimer: Vancouver Island Master Gardeners Association (VIMGA) does not advise or recommend herbs for medicinal or health use. Any information in the recommended resources should be regarded as being for educational purposes only and should not be considered as a recommendation or an endorsement of any medical or health treatment.