Salvia divinorum aka Yerba De La Pastora

Salvia divinorum is a plant that lives for more than two years. It belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae. Kew gives its native range as Oaxaca, in Mexico. Kew also places it in a subtropical climate. Useful Tropical Plants names the same part of southwestern Mexico. The RHS says it is not native to Britain or Ireland. These sources place its roots in Mexico. People grow it in other parts of the world.

The records link its use to the Mazatec people of Oaxaca. Useful Tropical Plants says people grow it in remote forest sites. It suggests that the plant may be a cultigen. This means people keep it growing, with no known wild group. This view of its origin is not yet firm. The source does not say where it grows wild. Sites where people grow it in forests do not prove its wild needs.

The Mazatec use its leaves in divination, to seek hidden knowledge. People use them to alter the mind and bring on visions. The source lists both leaves steeped in water and smoking. These reports of past use are not advice to consume it. The same source notes that people grow it elsewhere in private. It does not say how much they grow, or where. It lists no use as food or medicine.

The records say little about the plant's shape or form. They give no height or width for a full-grown plant. They do not describe this species' stems, leaves, flowers, or fruit. The RHS gives a broad account of the genus. That does not show which traits this species has. The records give no bloom season or account of garden display. They thus give no basis to judge its value in a landscape.

Useful Tropical Plants gives no growing needs or limits for cold. It suggests the plant can grow from parts, rather than seeds. Yet it also lists a seed method, with no steps. Neither entry shows a sound way to raise new plants. The sources give no pest or disease facts for this species. The database lists no known hazards, but also notes mind-altering effects. Its hazard entry does not prove safety for people or pets. These records support no food use or claim of safety.