white sage

noun

1. Also called greasewood. a shrubby plant, Salvia apiana, of the mint family, native to southern California, having white, hairy foliage and spikes of white or pale lavender flowers.

2. an aromatic, composite plant, Artemisia ludoviciana, of western North America, having leaves with a downy white undersurface.

Word History and Origins

Origin of white sage¹

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Example Sentences

Initially they thought they would focus on native succulents and cactus for their yard until they began noticing white sage, buckwheats and sagebrush when they went running in the Laguna Hills and Santa Ana Mountains.

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Monkey flowers in orange and red, scarlet bugler, purple and white sages and coffeeberry shrubs are coming into their own.

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She began adding Cleveland sage, white sage, evening primrose, yellow lupine and other native plants in earnest, removing dead or poor-performing non-natives.

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Instead of lawn or little potted palms around the pool, there are oversize stands of desperado sage, a fragrant hybrid between white sage and purple sage, growing so untamed they’re nearly spilling into the pool.

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If the Beach Boys could make surfing a national phenomenon, who says Sage Against the Machine can’t get everyone excited about California buckwheat and white sage?

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