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Herbs and Medicinal PlantsAfter a rain shower in the West, the air smells cleansed by the pungent aroma of sagebrush. Sagebrush has long been viewed as a purifying agent, and both Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone typically "smudge" or "cedar" their house once a week to cleanse the space.  Native American herbs and medicinal plants Sweet grass and cedar are used as a protector by both tribes, and many Native Americans on the Wind River Indian Reservation drive with sweet grass bundles in their cars to keep away bad luck. Bitterroot is used to alleviate sore throats as well as a starchy edible not unlike a potato. These kind of traditional uses of plants-whether medicinal, culinary or spiritual-have survived and continue to flourish in Indian culture because the native flora is never far from sight, smell or spirit, and because they work.
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