Sagebrush is also a very fragrant plant and if you gently rub the leaves between your finger tips -- it smells like one of the spices you may add to your spaghetti sauce!  In fact, before Native Americans went on a hunt they would use sagebrush to camouflage their own smell and the animals being hunted would not smell them coming.  Though not a true sage, this plant is also used historically to cure coughs and colds.  Unless you have training in ethnobotany or medicinal uses in plants we do not recommend ingesting any plants.

Its leaves are also quite well adapted to Southern California's climate.  Two adaptations include the curved shape of its dark green leaves.  This shape provides shade of sorts and therefore the plant doesn't lose as much water through its leaves via evapotranspiration as some plants.  Its second adaptation is the waxy feel to the leaves. This waxy coating also helps hold moisture in, just like chapstick holds moisture in on our own lips.  

Native Americans used this plant to flavor drinks, unfortunately this plant is a diuretic. Therefore we do not recommend, unless you are specifically trained in the field, to not attempt eating this plant or its berries.  Remember if the plant is in the Park - it is protected.

Called purple sage, for its purple aromatic flowers, these flowers draw insects and birds to feed on the nectar.  Purple sage blooms several times a year and is a very hardy plant which is drought tolerant.  For that reason, purple sage is one of the favored xeroscaping plants, since it requires minimal maintenance and very little water.

Native Americans used this plant during ceremonies and rituals. 

This plant requires well drained soil, full sun and very little water.  Like the other sages mentioned on this page, white sage is also used widely in native garden displays.   White sage is common throughout the Park and is often times found on the hillsides and along trails. 

Native Americans used the seeds of white sage as a component to creating flour.  Other uses of the plant were to cleanse the eye, shampoo the hair, and was also used as a tea.  This plant is sacred to Native Americans and even today smudge wands are created to ward off evil spirits when the leaves are bundled and burned.  Again, plants in the Park are protected and we ask that you not remove them from the Park.  In addition, do no attempt to ingest this plant. 

This shallow rooted plant, during times of drought, will curl up its leaves to retain water instead of dropping its leaves.  Many birds and small animals use black sage for nesting or as cover from predators.  Often times black sage is used to revegetation disturbed areas as it is drought tolerant and grows rapidly.  Like the other sages, black sage is susceptible to air pollution and is a good biological indicator of air pollution in Southern California.

Native Americans used portions of this plant to ground it into a meal for baking.  Its crushed leaves were often used as a spice to flavor some of their meals.   Again, we do not recommend, unless you are specifically trained in the field, ingesting this plant.  Remember if the plant is in the Park - it is protected.

In normal conditions chaparral grows in thick densely growing ever green scrub oaks and other drought resistant plants.  For the most part its tightly knit plants provide protection for smaller animals trying to escape large predators.  These small animals, like rabbits, squirrels and raccoons use the chaparral for refuge.

Like other mentioned plants and plant communities, chaparral has endured significant fires.  Under the right conditions, chaparral benefits from fire with certain frequency, severity, intensity and depends on the season.  Generally due to its high oil content, when chaparral burns dark black smoke is the indicator.  Normally, chaparral requires 30 years of leaf litter accumulation before they will reproduce successfully.  With fire intervals of every 10-15 years, or even more frequently, the chaparral plants suffer and may be replaced with non-native grasses.

This plant produces a cluster of white flowers that remain on the plant long after they have dried out.  Laurel sumac is commonly found in coastal sage scrub and chaparral ecosystems.  It also prefers dry ridges and canyons below 3000 feet.  When settlers first arrived in the area, they would use the presence or absence of laurel sumac as an indicator of the temperature.  Laurel sumac is very susceptible to frost and therefore citrus growers used it to determine if their crops would do well in the area or not. 

Native Americans used portions of this plant to ground it into a meal for baking.  Its crushed leaves were often used as a spice to flavor some of their meals.   Again, do not attempt to eat this plant as it is a Park resource.

Chino Hills State Park Interpretive Association · 4717 Sapphire Road, Chino Hills, CA 91709 · webmaster@ChinoHillsStatePark.org