Sagebrush (7)
The Artemesia genus is commonly called Sage, Sagebrush, Wormwood and Sagewort, and includes both small, herbaceous plants, Sages, shown on a separate page, and larger shrubs, Sagebrush. They all have tiny, inconspicuous flower heads crowded along the stem and are pleasantly aromatic when the silvery-green leaves are crushed.
 |
Big Sagebrush Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) A woody, gnarled, many-branched shrub that grows to 7 feet tall in vast
colonies creating its own ecosystem. It is covered in fine
hairs which give it a gray-green appearance. Leaves are three-toothed, wedge-shaped and aromatic when crushed.
|
 |
Tiny yellow flower heads bloom in September and remain on the plant even in the middle of winter. Below are galls which are induced by insects. Galls are specialized plant tissue that provide a suitable microclimate and high quality food for the development of flies and midges.
Flora of North America reference. |
 |
Silver Sagebrush Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grows to 4 feet with leafy stems. Leaves are long, narrow and hairy with no teeth. Flora of North America reference. |
 |
Low Sagebrush Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grows to 12" spreading at the base with erect, leafy shoots. The lower leaves are toothed. Flower heads grow erect in a spike and are larger than other Sagebrush. Leaves, stems and bracts are covered in fine hair.
Flora of North America reference. |
 |
Black Sagebrush Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
Grows in colonies with a low, rounded form to less than 2 feet compared to Big Sagebrush. Plants grow with
erect flower stalks sticking up from the top.
Leaves are darker green than Big Sagebrush, and much smaller, about ½
inch long, and not all so obviously three-toothed.
|
 |
Photo taken on:
August 1, 2019 Colonies of Black Sagebrush growing amongst colonies of Big Sagebrush. Flora of North America reference. |
 |
Sand Sagebrush Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grows 3-4 feet tall and wide with arching, feathery, silvery-blue foliage. Leaves and stems are covered with silvery hairs. The leaves are thread-like. Like other sages, the flowers bloom late and are tiny, yellow and inconspicuous. Flora of North America reference. |
 |
Bigelow Sagebrush Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grows to 16" with a rounded shape covered in silvery hairs. The leaves are up to 1" long and have three teeth or a point at the tip. Compared to Big Sagebrush it does not grow as large and stays compact in shape. It is unique from other sagebrush by sometimes having a few ray flowers in its flower heads. Flora of North America reference. |
 |
White Sagebrush Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae) Grows spreading in a bushy form to 2½ feet with whitish green stems and leaves. Leaves are small and narrow without lobes. Flowers are tiny and grow in open clusters. Flora of North America reference. |
