California Sagebrush

Artemesia california

Habitat: Coastal Sage Scrub

Value to Environment: This plant is very important to the environment. Sagebrush produce seeds for birds to eat. Insects, which birds eat live on this plant. The most common insect found on this plant is the spittle bug. We must save these plants in order to prevent the extinction of the animals that depend upon it.

Value to Man: The Native American women used the leaves brewed for tea to relieve menstrual problems, to ensure comfortable childbirth, rapid post-natal recovery, alleviate menopausel trauma, and flush out the system of newborns. Early California miners used it in their beds to drive away fleas. The miners rubbed it on their body as a deodorant The Padres put it on the floor of the missions to hide the smell of the Native Americans. The Natives Americans rubbed it on their skin when they went hunting to hide their human smell from the animals.