Salvia Divinorum Seeds

There are many plants that have varied uses and can be used for culinary, medicinal and even as ornamental plants. Salvia is one such genus that has plants having multipurpose uses. There are many species of the salvia plants, but among them the salvia divinorum plant is quite common. This salvia belongs to the family Lamiaceae, which is commonly known as the 'mint family', and contains approximately 3,500 species. Salvia divinorum can be grown from saplings as well as from salvia divinorum seeds.

A Brief Overview of Salvia Divinorum

The name Salvia divinorum is actually of Latin origin which means 'sage of the seers'. The other names for this plant are 'magic mint', 'diviner's sage' and 'ska maria pastora' (in Mazatec language). The history of the salvia divinorum plant can be traced back to Mazatec civilization in Oaxaca, Mexico, where the tribal people (Mazatec shamans) used this plant as a herbal remedy to treat a number of ailments. These natives used the salvia divinorum to treat a disease called 'panzon de borrego' (swollen belly in their native tongue). They also used it for religious rituals, specially during the invocation of The Holy Trinity, Mother Mary, St. Peter and other saints. It was believed to have divine powers. Along with medicinal properties, salvia divinorum is also hallucinogenic in nature. Due to the psychoactive property, the use of this plant is banned in many countries. Many researchers have discovered the uses of sage herb in the field of medicine. Salvia divinorum is known to effectively treat maladies like headaches, diarrhea, rheumatism and anemia. It also has diuretic properties.

Growing Salvia Divinorum

From Mexico the salvia divinorum plant was brought to the United States in the year 1960. It was also known as sage. Since there are innumerable sage herb benefits, people began to grow this plant at home.

• Use potting soil for growing the seeds. Fill a pot with the soil till it is filled up to ¾ level. Sow the salvia divinorum seeds into the soil and moisten the soil using a water sprayer. A peat pot is preferably used for this purpose.
• Place the pot on the refrigerator or a heating pad to provide warmth to the seeds to trigger germination. But make sure you use a cookie tray for indirect heat contact. Keeping the soil moist (not wet) will help in the germination of the seeds. The seeds may germinate approximately after 4 weeks.
• After this period, you will notice tender shoots above the soil. Now is the time to place the pot in sunlight so that the plants grow properly. You can also place the plant under artificial light but make sure the room is well aerated.
• After the 6th week, the roots will begin to grow and the shoots will grow longer. When the saplings are mature enough, they can be transferred to a larger pot.
• Before transplanting, fill the large pot with soil, and make a hole in the center deep enough to place the peat pot containing the saplings. Once you have replanted the seedlings, water them till the soil is moist. Never allow water to get clogged lest it leads to rotting of the plant.

Buy these seeds in shops or online stores, that have a healthy variety of seeds. Growing houseplants like salvia divinorium is not a herculean task. With just a few basic things, you can grow pots of fresh, green plants. A delight to the eyes!