A hardy perennial herb with a sweet vanilla-like fragrance, sweetgrass is native to Europe and North America.
The plant can grow to a height of about 24 inches, with long leaves that have shiny undersides. Its name, Hierochloe odorata, literally means “fragrant holy grass,” and the plant has been regarded as sacred everywhere it has been grown and harvested. In Northern Europe, sweetgrass was scattered on the ground in front of churches on saints’ days so that the pleasing fragrance would be released when people walked inside. It is most often braided and then moistened to release its sweet fragrance, or burned as incense. When burned, the plant smoulders, producing clouds of fragrant smoke.
Sweetgrass is also one of the four sacred plants of the indigenous American Medicine Wheel and represents the Northern direction. The other plants contained in the Medicine Wheel are: White Sage representing the West, Cedar representing the South, and Tobacco representing the East.
To use, light the end of the bundle then blow out the flame so that the leaves begins to smoke. Lightly fanning the bundle will encourage an even burn and release of the fragrant scent. To extinguish, simply snuff out the smoking end in sand or a fireproof dish.
Never leave unattended.
