It’s actively harmful, and because sage passes through so many wholesalers and vendors, some people that sell white sage don’t know if it was harvested ethically or even legally.
You may be thinking “Why is white sage so hard to get?”
We can dig in! it grows wild, but because of over-harvesting due to high demand from non-Native users, white sage is threatened and supplies are growing harder to come by for Native users. We’re talking about people sneaking around national and state parks with garbage bags, illegally harvesting sage to sell.
A great resource to help protect white sage and investigate other plants is Unite Plant Savers, a non-profit that seeks to protect native medical plants from America.
Is white sage’at risk’?
While we have discussed the scarcity of white sage many times across different channels, many people are still unaware of the ‘ at risk ‘ status of white sage. It is something that we need to be aware of when making conscious purchases, especially online where you don’t really know where something comes from.
The viral trend of smudging is endangering white sage. Metric tons of white sage (Salvia apiana) are being poached to supply an international demand. This plant is deeply rooted in the cultures and lifeways of the Indigenous communities of Southern California and northern Baja, the only region where white sage naturally occurs in the world.
You see, it is a sacred plant to tribes such as the Lakota, Comanche, Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Navajo. It grows wild, but because of over-harvesting due to high demand from non-Native users, white sage is threatened and supplies are growing harder to come by for Native users.
What’s the issue with Sage?
BUT the main issue is that the sage is endangered. At this point Im either going to grow my own somehow or switch to a sage that natively grows in Africa. They sale sage and palo santo (another endangered plant/tree) in walmart now.
Does sage keep deer away?
Sage (Salvia officinalis) Sage is yet another strong-smelling herb that is good at keeping deer away from your yard and garden! Like many of the other herbs on our list, sage can be used in both its plant and its essential oil form when being used to repel deer.
A common question we ran across in our research was “Does Sage repel deer?”.
Like many of the other herbs on our list, sage can be used in both its plant and its essential oil form when being used to repel deer. When planting sage, you can plant it around the perimeter of your yard or around common places where deer can get into your yard to deter them from getting in altogether.
What are the best plants that repel deer?
Russian sage is an aromatic herb, that forms a 5-foot tall shrub. What makes this plant a stand out, aside from its smell and purple-blue flowers, is its ability to repel deer. It’s aroma while pleasant to people is a deterrent to deer. It is an extremely hardy plant that does well in full sun.
Another frequent question is “What scent keeps deer away?”.
My best answer was you can take advantage of this trait and repel deer by using smells they dislike, such as marigolds, putrescent egg solids, mint, wolf urine, tansy, garlic, thyme, oregano, sage, rosemary, and lavender. In addition to knowing just what scents can keep deer away, it is helpful to know the kind of damage a deer could do to your garden as well.
How do I keep deer out of my Garden?
I frequently have people who attend my gardening classes tell me that shade plants are boring. 6 make your garden deer-proof, 2 sun loving flowers that resist deer, decorative gardens often take the brunt of deer pressure, 5 plants that repel deer, 3 herbs, or 4 vegetables as well are a couple additional items to look into.