Artemisia ludoviciana

Common Names

White Sage, Silver Wormwood, Prairie Sage, Western Mugwort, White Sagebrush, Louisiana Sagewort, Silver Sage

Summary

Native to North America, this rhizomatous perennial grows 0.3–1.0 m tall with upright stems bearing gray-silver, linear leaves up to 11 cm long that are fragrant; it bears yellowish disc florets in July–October and occurs on dry slopes, canyons, open pine woods, and dry prairies, forming a spreading clonal habit with woolly foliage that provides a striking silvery presence.

Preferring full sun and well-drained soil, it is drought-tolerant and hardy in zones 4–10; propagation is by division, and cultivars such as ‘Valerie Finnis’ and ‘Silver Queen’ exist (hardy to zone 4); it is used ornamentally as a silver foliage accent and for dried foliage or arrangements, but can spread aggressively via rhizomes, so barriers or containment may be necessary; Indigenous uses include smudging and flavoring in traditional practices.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

0.5-3 feet

Spread

1-3 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3a-10b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun.

Soil Type

No single ideal soil; wide tolerance; prefers well-drained, dry to moderately dry, low-to-moderate fertility soils; commonly on sandy, gravelly, rocky, or silty soils and may occur on lime-rich soils (not abundant).

Soil Drainage

Well-drained

Soil pH

Tolerates all pH levels

Bloom Color

Yellow

Bloom Time

Summer

Foliage Color

Gray-green, silvery gray, white

Fall Foliage Color

Silvery gray foliage

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, butterflies, other pollinators, birds