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
Artemisia tridentata
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA: Sagebrush
Photo taken on:
September 4, 2005
Location:
Walrod Gulch, GV, CO
Life Zones:
Plains to montane
Habitat:
Dry slopes
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
Artemisia cana
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Hoary Sagebrush, Coaltown Sagebrush
Photo taken on:
August 21, 2007
Location:
Swampy Pass Trail, GV, CO
Life Zones:
Foothills to montane
Habitat:
Moist open woods, meadows
Grows to 4 feet with leafy stems. Leaves are long, narrow and hairy with no teeth.
Flora of North America reference.
Low Sagebrush
Artemisia arbuscula
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Little Sagebrush, Dwarf Sagebrush
Photo taken on:
August 5, 2007
Location:
Walrod Gulch, GV, CO
Life Zones:
Foothills to subalpine
Habitat:
Rocky soil, slopes
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
Artemisia nova
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Black Sage
Photo taken on:
September 23, 2013
Location:
Abiquiu Lake, NM
Life Zones:
Foothills to montane
Habitat:
Dry slopes, mesas, pinyon-juniper
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
Location:
FS Rd 860, Almont, CO
Colonies of Black Sagebrush growing amongst colonies of Big Sagebrush.
Flora of North America reference.
Sand Sagebrush
Artemisia filifolia
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Silver Sagebrush, Silvery Wormwood, Sand Sage
Photo taken on:
August 19, 2013
Location:
Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Plains and foothills
Habitat:
Rocky canyons, dry and sandy areas
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
Artemisia bigelovii
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
Silver Sagebrush, Silvery Wormwood, Sand Sage
Photo taken on:
August 12, 2014
Location:
Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Plains and foothills
Habitat:
Sandy, rocky areas, pinyon-juniper woodland
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
Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. albula
Family:
Sunflower (Asteraceae)
AKA:
White Wormwood, Silver Mugwort
Photo taken on:
September 4,2014
Location:
Abiquiu, NM
Life Zones:
Plains and foothills
Habitat:
Sandy areas, canyons
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.