Native Plants
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Artemisia cana
Artemisia cana Pursh
Silver Sagebrush, Coaltown Sagebrush, Dwarf Sagebrush, Hoary Sagebrush, Silvery Sagebrush
Asteraceae (Aster Family)
Synonym(s):
USDA Symbol: ARCA13
USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N)
A low, rounded, freely branching, aromatic evergreen shrub growing 1-5 ft. in height. Leaves and branches are silvery gray. The yellow, summer flowers are inconspicuous. Imparts a graceful, wispy appearance when grown in masses.
The similar Sand Sagebrush (A. filifolia) is a 3' (1 m) tall, erect shrub with linear (occasionally lobed) leaves and 2" (5 cm) flower spikes; it grows on sandy plains, from Nevada and Arizona east to Texas and South Dakota.
From the Image Gallery
No images of this plant
Plant Characteristics
Duration: PerennialHabit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Size Notes: Up to about 5 feet tall, often shorter.
Leaf: Gray-Green
Autumn Foliage: yes
Fruit: Fruit is a cypsela (pl. cypselae). Though technically incorrect, the fruit is often referred to as an achene.
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , YellowBloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct
Distribution
USA: AK , AZ , CA , CO , ID , MN , MT , ND , NE , NM , NV , OR , SD , UT , WYCanada: AB , BC , MB , SK
Native Distribution: B.C. to Sask., s. to n. CA, UT & NM
Native Habitat: Rocky, open grasslands; floodplains; mt. forests from 6000-10,500 ft.
Growing Conditions
Water Use: LowLight Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Rocky soils.
Conditions Comments: Periodic pruning to remove old stems rejuvenates plants. Susceptible to root rot if too wet. Pollen is a cause of hayfever.
Benefit
Conspicuous Flowers: yesFragrant Flowers: yes
Value to Beneficial Insects
Provides Nesting Materials/Structure for Native BeesThis information was provided by the Pollinator Program at The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.
Find Seed or Plants
Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.
National Wetland Indicator Status
Region: | AGCP | AK | AW | CB | EMP | GP | HI | MW | NCNE | WMVE |
Status: | FACU | FACU | FACU | FACU | FACU |
From the National Organizations Directory
According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:Native Seed Network - Corvallis, OR
Bibliography
Bibref 946 - Gardening with Prairie Plants: How to Create Beautiful Native Landscapes (2002) Wasowski, SallySearch More Titles in Bibliography
Web Reference
Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) CalfloraWebref 37 - Calscape (2019) California Native Plant Society
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter
Additional resources
USDA: Find Artemisia cana in USDA PlantsFNA: Find Artemisia cana in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Artemisia cana
Metadata
Record Modified: 2022-11-22Research By: TWC Staff