Description
The Latin name for sweetgrass is "hierchloe odorata" which translates literally as "sacred grass" and is found both in the Old World and the New.
There are many Northern European traditions associated with it that are similar to the Native American/North American ceremonial usages - for the scent and for use in spirituality and prayer. In North America, it is found across Canada and as far south in America as the state of New Mexico.
Sweetgrass is a perennial that can reach a height of three feet and prefers a cooler, moisture habitat, favoring wetlands. The loss of many wetland areas in the United States has severly decreased its range in this country and the plants intolerance of over grazing by livestock also contributes to its scarcity.