Yerba Santa
Yerba Santa
California Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon californicum)
Thick-leaved Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon crassifolium)
Woolly Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon tomentosum)
Sticky Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon trichocalyx)
Energetics: Warm, Drying, Tonic
Taste: Primarily aromatic with an initially mild bitter taste, that is followed by a sweet cooling aftertaste. Can be combined with other tasty herbs like Hummingbird Sage to improve flavor (I personally enjoy it as is. It is a very unique and flavorful experience!)
Called wishap (pronounced weeshap) by the Ventureño and Ineseño Chumash peoples and Yerba Santa (Holy Herb) by the Spanish; this is one of my favorite native herbs for common autumn health conditions. Yerba Santa is a member of the Borage family (Boraginaceae) and is generally found in chaparral, woodlands, and forests below 6,000 feet in elevation. The most common variety that we see here in the Ojai area is the Thick-leaved Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon crassifolium). It is a perennial evergreen shrub with alternating long oval shaped leaves with coarsely toothed edges. It also has a net like pattern of veins on the bottom side of the leaves. Flowers are usually purple colored with five fused petals that grow in clusters at the top of the stem. Yerba Santa generally grows to about 3-4 feet tall, but in good conditions can grow as tall as 9-10 feet.
Historically Yerba Santa was revered for its medicinal qualities by both the Indigenous peoples of this area and the various colonizing nations who came after. The Spanish named it Yerba Santa (Holy Herb) because it was so effective in treating respiratory complaints, and it was listed in the US Dispensatory for Pharmacists as early as 1877 for lung conditions. It was added to the US Pharmacopoeia in 1894 until it was removed because of the removal of plants without ample scientific research. (Hey scientist friends…I’m looking at you. Let’s try to get the modern data caught up with the Indigenous wisdom shall we?).
Of the data we do have, we know that Yerba Santa contains a variety of flavonoids like Eriodictyol and Homoeriodictyol; which are antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-carcinogenic. Other compounds like Hispidulin are antioxidant, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagenic, and anti-carcinogenic. A 2020 study even tagged Eriodictyol as a potential candidate for developing a drug to prevent COVID-19 infection; however that study is not yet peer reviewed and in the early stages of exploration (Still, exciting potential to dive into! Tagging in my scientist friends again here).
Another study, done in 2018, also identified another compound in Yerba Santa, Sterubin, as a “Potent neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory compound” with the potential for treating Alzheimer’s disease.
However, as slowly as modern science moves to explore the healing potential in this incredible plant; local Indigenous peoples have long known the benefits of this plant and numerous California tribes have utilized various species of Yerba Santa in many of their healing practices. They brewed teas of the leaves for coughs, colds, stomachaches, and rheumatic pains. They also utilized the leaves topically for various poultices and concoctions to heal cuts, sores, wounds, bites, sprains and irritations like poison oak rash. Fresh leaves were also chewed to increase salivation and to alleviate thirst. The Chumash specifically used E. crassifolium for a variety of breathing problems.
In modern herbal practices, herbalists tout this plant as an incredible option for coughs, colds, flus, and other wet leaky sinus conditions. Chumash healer Cecelia Garcia recommends boiling the leaves as an herbal steam for coughs. Herbalist Michael Tierra recommends an infusion of the leaves as a warming expectorant for the lungs. Herbalist Michael Moore believes that it is one of the “best decongestants for highly wet, hyper-secretory lung and sinus conditions” (basically if you have a wet sticky cough or a ferociously runny nose, reach for Yerba Santa).
Sticky Yerba Santa (Eriodictyon trichocalyx) can also be made into a liniment for sore, tired, and arthritic parts of the body; however for these conditions, a liniment Coastal Sagebrush (Artemisia californica) is often considered superior and more commonly used with the occasional addition of Yerba Santa in moderation as a supportive therapy.
Yerba Santa is currently listed on the FDA’s GRAS (Generally Regarded as Safe) list and has a long history of safe use. However, it is best to be mindful of individual sensitivities and stop using if you have any reactions or issues.
If you are growing or gathering this herb yourself; you’ll want to wait until the leaves have fully developed their resins; which is usually after it flowers in mid to late summer. You’ll know that the leaves are ready because they will become very aromatic and somewhat sticky (thanks to the resins). According to my teacher, Lanny Kaufer, if you harvest leaves and they turn black during drying, then they still contain too much water and you likely harvested them too early. If you prefer to purchase it commercially, check with reputable herb suppliers like Mountain Rose Herbs.
Yerba Santa is one of my go to herbs for those awful colds where I have a wet phlegmy cough, or my nose is running constantly. For light support at the very beginning or end of a cold, I usually brew a gentle tea for about 5-10 minutes; I also use this method for days when my fall allergies are really kicking up. (If you too suffer from the fall sniffles, you can likely thank plants in the Asteraceae or the Aster/Daisy family, because many of our local native Asteraceaea plants are flowering around this time and wreaking havoc on the sinuses).
For more serious issues, I generally steep Yerba Santa for at least 20 minutes, or use a steam inhalation to get it directly into the respiratory system. Be mindful that a 20 minute infusion is going to taste STRONG, so you may want to add some honey, Hummingbird Sage, or other tasty addition to soften the strong flavor (although, I personally don’t mind the taste, some people I have shared this tea with are not fans)
Resources:
Calscape.org *Where possible, I linked directly to local/individual retailers for book links. I highly encourage you to utilize local booksellers as opposed to Amazon and other large corporations. Many of our local book stores like Bart's Books and Timbre will even special order these titles for you.
Herb Suppliers who carry Yerba Santa:
*If you know of other reputable and conscientious suppliers, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. This is by no means an extensive list of herb suppliers I love, but rather two great ones that I know carry Yerba Santa specifically.
The content on this site is for educational purposes only. We cannot diagnose health conditions, nor prescribe medicines. The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. Please consult your medical care provider before using herbal medicine, particularly if you have a known medical condition or if you are pregnant or nursing.
As with conventional medicine, herbal medicine is vast and complex, and must be used responsibly. People react differently to different remedies. Some herbs are contraindicated with certain pharmaceutical drugs.
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