From Latin, Sálvia Divinórum is translated as "sage of the foretellers", in other words - narcotic sage. The leaves of this plant contain a psychoactive hallucinogen called salvinorin A, which has dissociative properties. As a cultivated plant bears its Latin name - Salvia Divinorum. This type of sage does not differ in structure from other representatives of the sage genus: perennial, first a herbaceous plant from the rhizome, then a shrub. It grows mainly in the subtropics, but if protected from frost, it also survives in the colder climate of Salvia Divinorum. The ban on growing this plant is related to its properties, which we will discuss later.
Botany
Salvia Divinorum has a densely branched woody root. The stem is simple, ascending, and sometimes branched, the cross section is square. If it grows in natural conditions, then a fairly tall bush - up to two meters. Propagated again under natural vegetative vegetation - by cuttings, any fragments of the stem are well rooted in contact with moist soil and give life to new plants.
The leaves of Salvia Divinorum are large, they reach twenty centimeters, simple, oval, whole, beautiful emerald color, with thin hairs. On the edge of the leaf is round toothed, the leaves are opposite. The flowers are complex, whorled, typical in shape for all labiaceae, the petals are white, the stamens are purple, collected at the end of the stem with spike-shaped inflorescences. The fruit is an ordinary achene.
More about the plant
The area of Salvia Divinorum is not too big in the wild - its homeland is Central America, most of all it is in Mexico (Oaxaca state). This is a rather water-loving plant, grows well in the shade on regularly moistened and drained soil. Discovered for the first time in the Sierra Madre region, where it is still used by the Masatec Indians in shamanistic rites.
With a small dosage, the leaves of this plant are treated for anemia, diarrhea, rheumatism and bloating, and are also taken as a diuretic. That is, not only a beautiful, but also a useful plant, Salvia Divinorum, the harm from it is much greater, because addiction occurs, and from an overdose can be fatal.
Danger
Even the leaves of ordinary salvia can cause very negative moments when taking large quantities (often by smoking): this is not only a bad experience, but also a threat to the health of the lungs. Some lovers of travel to other realities do not consider a plant called Salvia Divinorum to be a drug, a ban on growing it is considered a measure inadequate.
However, even they admit that traveling to other realities with the help of the sage of the foretellers can end very badly - a person loses control over himself, can injure himself, fall, and be injured of any severity. Usually the main high drug addict receives precisely from the end of the action of the Salvia Divinorum estrus, since during the action his behavior shows the highest degree of uncomfortability.
History
For the first time, Salvia Divinorum, the cultivation of which has not yet spread throughout the world, was discovered and described in 1939. And the scientist Jean Bassett Johnson, who studied the shamanism of the Indians, did this. But the scientific discovery happened even later - in 1962, as a result of the expedition of the chemist Albert Hofmann and ethnobiologist Gordon Watson, who went to Mexico specifically to study this plant.
The mechanism of influence on the human body was not established until the end of the 90s, when a group of ethnobotanists headed by Daniel Siebert took up scientific experiments. How historically Salvia Divinorum was cultivated, the law on the prohibition of which appeared only in some countries, including the Russian Federation, is practically unknown, and it is not possible to study this subject.
Using
Due to the small range of this particular sage species, only one group of Indians used it, and they cannot tell how the cultivation took place.
There is a lot of information about how the leaves of Salvia Divinorum were used by Indian shamans: they chewed them, gradually going into a trance, after which they acquired the gift of clairvoyance and predicted the future. The most experienced made a drink from salvia, after which they could guess with absolute accuracy the events already occurring and coming, determine the cause of the illness of the people who came to them and even predict their fate.
Chemistry
The main psychoactive substances contained in the leaves of the plant are salvinoril A and salvinoril B. They are complex organic compounds of diterpenes. Salvia Divinorum also has other fractions of these compounds - C, D, E and so on - only six, only their concentration is quite small, and the effect on the human body is practically unstudied. Fresh leaves contain 0.022 percent salvinoril and dry leaves 0.18 percent. The surprise for scientists was that the action is due to the activation of kappa-opioid receptors, so the psychedelic effect is so great.
Salvinoril A, as it turned out, is the most powerful plant hallucinogen known to date. Its strength is ten times greater than psilobicin, and in psychedelic activity it is close to the semisynthetic hallucinogen, commonly known as LSD. Perhaps this information is slightly exaggerated by the advertising campaign conducted by distributing agents who are doing everything to seduce the youth of our country from the path of a healthy lifestyle.
Ban
Since 2009, it has been included in list 1 of the List of Narcotic Drugs and Salvia Divinorum. The law of the Russian Federation ranked it among psychotropic substances and their precursors that are subject to control, and their circulation is completely prohibited. In April 2009, smoking mixtures and flavors in which the sage of the predictors were a component due to the content of toxic substances in its composition were banned by the order of the sanitary doctor of the Russian Federation in April 2009.
Also, this plant and its component salvinoril A were included in the lists of controlled substances in many other states - Belgium, Australia, Germany, Italy, Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Finland, Japan and some US states. These states banned the circulation of both salvinoril and the plant itself, called Salvia Divinorum.
Growing
This flowering plant is almost impossible to propagate by seeds, most often a failure awaits the plant grower. But the cuttings take root perfectly. Even if a sprig of five to ten centimeters, having broken off spontaneously, falls on moist and soft ground, it takes root. Under cultural conditions, cuttings are rooted either in water or in favorable substrates, river sand for example. To do this, take a small pot or even a plastic cup, fill the soil up to half, in which freshly cut Salvia Divinorum sits for two or three centimeters, the handle of which is covered with a glass container or plastic bag.
It is better to hold the plant in the shade until it takes root, then after a couple of weeks you can start a small feeding. The roots grow very quickly, occupying the entire space of the tank, so pulling with a transplant is undesirable. It is better to transplant into a tank of much larger size. The adult Salvia Divinorum, the seeds of which some amateur growers still manage to germinate, requires a very large pot, as well as regular top dressing. However, it is important not to overdo it. Salvia Divinorum is very sensitive to an overdose.
Exclusive
The one-of-a-kind flower is grown in the country quite often, although it is the Divinorum that is almost not present, just sage, which also has many romantic names, for example, prolonging life, is welcome. The south of Europe is considered to be the birthplace of the inhabitant of Russian dachas, where it is also a sacred grass and has considerable medicinal properties.
Hippocrates called the healing characteristics of sage salvage, and the ancient Egyptians with his help rejuvenated the body and used its effect on childbirth. When the bloody wars ended, sage was brewed in every kitchen and added to all dishes - the ability to conceive increased, the population recovered and increased. In addition, some magic properties were attributed to sage, especially in ancient Egypt. And now sage is treated to both children and adults with any cold, cough, toothache, inflammation of the oral mucosa.
Species diversity
Salvia Divinorum - a species of sage, perennial, in a harsh climate loses this quality and lives on the strength of two years, because it does not tolerate frost. As being on the list of banned plants due to a strong hallucinogenic effect, it cannot be grown in the country, since this is prohibited by law.
Salvia sparkling (brilliant) - in terms of beauty it is absolutely not so simple, it can be compared with inflorescences of such a plant as Salvia Divinorum, photo of flowers. Her seedlings are grown from seeds to decorate any flower bed: not very tall, up to fifty centimeters, bushes with white, pink, purple panicles. And this is not a perennial plant in our latitudes, most often annual, sometimes biennial.
Sparkling salvia seeds germinate in the same way as cosmei or chamomile. Sowing is covered with glass in order to create a microclimate and keep the soil moist. It is better to water from the spray gun, so as not to accidentally wash the seeds. After two or four weeks, seedlings appear. The processes are extremely small and tender. Too thick shoots need to be thinned out, but carefully, preferably with tweezers, because neighboring plants are easily damaged. At first, salvia grows very, very slowly. If the sprouts are very elongated and thinned, moist soil is poured under them, as if neatly spud. After the appearance of real leaves, salvia will require much less care. But only when spring frosts are completely over, can seedlings be planted in open ground.
Among other types of sage - desert salvia, Dagestan, Syrian, Transylvanian, glandular, prickly, meadow, etc.
Care
This plant is from a whim, so growing it in the country is not an easy task. Attention and care are needed all the time. And also the lack of through winds. Salvia loves the sun, but also grows safely in the shade. The soil should be rich and water-absorbing. Acidic soil is preferred. Mandatory weeding and loosening of the soil. This decorative shrub blooms from June until the very frost - the joy of any gardener. It is therefore better to water this plant under the root and as necessary.
He loves moisture, but there should be no stagnation of water. In addition to peat, sand is also added to the soil so that the water does not stagnate. Top dressing is carried out repeatedly by complex and mineral fertilizers. First seedlings are fertilized, then in the period of budding. Growth stimulants (for seedlings) have proven themselves well. Protection from pests is also necessary - ticks, aphids and thrips. Salvia is extremely rare.