If you love the ritual of cleansing your space with smoke but you would rather not use white sage, you are in good and growing company. There are many beautiful, fragrant plants that cleanse just as gently, most of which you can grow on a windowsill or buy without harm. This guide runs through the best sustainable alternatives to white sage, why they are the kinder choice, and how to bundle and use your own.
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Check tonight's moon phaseWhy choose an alternative to white sage
White sage (Salvia apiana) is sacred to the Indigenous peoples of southern California and northern Baja, the only place on earth it grows wild, and it is now at risk. The California Native Plant Society reports that roughly half of wild white sage has already been lost, and it sits on United Plant Savers' at-risk list, largely because of poaching for the commercial smudge-stick market. Choosing another herb protects a sacred, threatened plant and sidesteps a practice that many Native people find harmful. We tell the fuller story in smoke cleansing versus smudging. The good news is that the alternatives are wonderful in their own right.
Herbs you can grow or buy sustainably
Any dried, aromatic, non-toxic herb can be used for smoke cleansing. These are the loveliest and easiest.
- Garden sage (Salvia officinalis). The common kitchen sage is the obvious heir to white sage: cleansing, richly aromatic, and happy to grow in a pot. If you want that clearing, herbaceous scent, start here.
- Rosemary. Protective and clarifying, rosemary grows almost anywhere and burns beautifully. A traditional European hearth herb for freshening a home.
- Lavender. Calm, softness and sleep. Lovely blended with other herbs for a gentler, floral smoke.
- Cedar and juniper. Fresh, grounding and purifying. Both are also ceremonial for some Nations, so buy from responsible growers rather than wild-stripping them.
- Mugwort. Dreamy and intuitive, a favourite for evening ritual. Avoid it during pregnancy.
- Bay leaves. Bright and releasing, and a fun one to write a wish on before it burns.
- Thyme, pine, cloves and cinnamon. Warm, spicy and comforting, especially in the colder months.
Incense and resins
If you would rather not burn bundles at all, incense is an ancient, widely shared way to cleanse a space. Loose resins such as frankincense and copal, or sticks and cones of sandalwood, all carry that same sense of a fresh start. Choose sustainably sourced incense where you can.
Palo santo is often suggested as a white sage alternative, but it is worth a note of care: it is sacred to Indigenous South American peoples and carries its own sustainability concerns, so if you use it, choose wood that is certified and gathered from naturally fallen branches, or simply reach for a garden herb instead.
How to make your own cleansing bundle
Making your own is the most sustainable and satisfying option of all.
- Gather. Cut a small handful of fresh, non-toxic herbs such as garden sage, rosemary and lavender, roughly the same length.
- Bundle. Hold them together and wrap firmly with natural cotton twine, spiralling up and back down the bundle. Avoid synthetic string, which you do not want to burn.
- Dry. Hang the bundle upside down somewhere dry and airy for two to three weeks, until the herbs are fully dried.
- Burn. Light the tip, let it catch, then blow it out so it smoulders and releases smoke.
How to use your alternative
Use any alternative exactly as you would any smoke cleanse. Open a window, set an intention, light the bundle or incense and let it smoulder, guide the smoke gently around your space or over yourself, then rest it in a heatproof dish to burn down safely. Never leave it unattended, keep the room ventilated, and take care around asthma, children and pets. Our respectful guide to smoke cleansing covers the full method.
Are the alternatives as effective?
Every bit as much. There is no scientific evidence that any particular plant clears energy from a room, white sage included. What genuinely helps is the ritual: the pause, the breath, the intention and the scent, and ritual has been shown to reduce anxiety. That means a bundle of rosemary from your own garden works just as beautifully as anything, and with none of the harm.
Keep exploring
Read the full guide to smoke cleansing and smoke cleansing versus smudging, refresh your stones with how to cleanse your crystals, and browse our wider spiritual cleansing rituals.
Frequently asked questions
Garden sage, rosemary, lavender, cedar, juniper, mugwort, bay, thyme, pine, cloves and cinnamon all cleanse beautifully, and incense such as frankincense, copal and sandalwood is a widely shared alternative. Most can be grown at home.
Yes. Common garden sage (Salvia officinalis), the kitchen herb, is the natural heir to white sage: cleansing, richly aromatic and easy to grow in a pot. It is the simplest place to start.
Palo santo is often suggested, but it is sacred to Indigenous South American peoples and carries its own sustainability concerns. If you use it, choose wood that is certified and gathered from naturally fallen branches, or simply reach for a garden herb instead.
Gather a small handful of fresh, non-toxic herbs of similar length, wrap them firmly with natural cotton twine, hang them upside down to dry for two to three weeks, then light the tip and let it smoulder.
Yes. Rosemary is protective and clarifying, burns well and grows almost anywhere, which makes it one of the best and most sustainable alternatives to white sage.
White sage grows wild in only one region on earth, is sacred to the Indigenous peoples there, and is at risk from poaching for the commercial market, with about half of wild populations already lost. Choosing an alternative protects a sacred, threatened plant.
Every bit. There is no scientific evidence that any particular plant clears energy from a room. What helps is the ritual, the pause and the intention, so a bundle of home-grown rosemary works just as beautifully, with none of the harm.
