Aztec Ruins National Monument, NM
Ethnobotany Series
| ➠ Four-wing Saltbush |
| ➠ Globemallow |
| ➠ Prickly Pear Cactus |
| ➠ Rocky Mountain Bee Plant |
| • Sages |
| ➠ Threeleaf Sumac |
| ➠ Yucca |
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Sages
There are 3 types of sages found in northern New Mexico, but the one most commonly seen is Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata). Big sagebrush can be found in a range from New Mexico to Baja California and further north up into the Canadian Rockies. This shrub is typically 1-1/2 feet to 9 feet tall, and its twisting branches can sprawl as much as 15 feet wide. It is so plentiful in this part of the country that it is often overlooked and underappreciated for its many uses.Big sagebrush has been used by many groups of Indigenous people, including the Acoma, Hopi, Mescalero Apache, Zuni, Navajo, and Ute. In addition to most groups burning it as fuel for fires, the wood has also been used as part of prayer sticks by the Hopi, and the shredded bark has been woven into wicks by the Ute people.
One major use of the leaves and twigs of Big sagebrush and other sages has been for medicinal purposes. They have been boiled and used in a tea for drinking, which has helped with colds (since it contains camphor), fever, headaches, digestive/intestinal problems, easing childbirth, and even foot problems. Zuni people have been known to place sage leaves in shoes to treat athlete's foot, heal cracked skin, and serve as deodorant. Navajo people have also used sage to treat blisters on feet. Other uses have included using sage as seasoning for meat and for creating greenish-yellow and greenish-gray dyes. Some tribes have used sage in curing ceremonies, and others burn bundles of sage for blessings.
The other sages that are found in the area are White sage (Artemisia ludoviciana) and Sand sage (Artemisia filifolia). These two variants have been used for many of the same purposes as Big sagebrush. One interesting characteristic of Sand sage is that because of its softness, it has sometimes been used as toilet paper.
The next time you pass a large open landscape filled with sages, remember that there is more to be appreciated in common, everyday plants than you might have previously thought.
