Yerba Santa grows in abundance in the Sierra foothills and is and was used by the Miwok, Pomo, Yuki, Yurok, Kawaiisu, Karuk, Atsugewi, Nisenan, Maidu, Concow, Cahuilla & Chumash people for a variety issues but mostly for cold and cough. It is a truly incredible herb, whose emerald-green waxy whorl of leaves and slightly lavender bell shaped flowers are enticing to see in the wild, as well as being powerful medicine. It has been used in modern medicine starting in 1875 and and is still used in some pharmaceutical formulations today to help moisten the throat and mouth. It is sticky, sweet, a bit bitter, and spicy. In Chinese medicine terms this means that it can transform damp and phlegm in the stomach and lung meridians. It is an incredible expectorant if you have any cough but especially one with copious white sputum. (Garran, Thomas Avery. Western Herbs According to Traditional Chinese Medicine,, p. 131-132)