prairie shrub

Big Sagebrush

Artemisia tridentata

Native to the Pacific Coast, the Southwest, and the Rockies and southern Canada

Western Great Plains, west to British Columbia and Baja California. Massachusetts' inclusion on list is based on voucher specimen collected in Middlesex County. The species is very likely not native there.

Light Full sun Sun tolerance
Moisture Dry Moisture preference
Zones 3–10 Cold to heat range
Bloom Jul–Nov Flowering time
Height up to 9 ft to 2.7 m
Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial

Full details, see below

In the garden

A prairie shrub for full sun and lean, dry soil. Its yellow flowers peak in September. At up to 9 ft, it needs room in meadows and sunny borders. Hardy in USDA zones 3–10.

Growing conditions

Light

Full sun Partial shade Full shade

Moisture

Dry Moist Wet

Hardiness zones

Find your zone:

When it blooms

The Big Sagebrush's yellow flowers bloom July to November, peaking in September. This early-fall display draws bees and birds.

Big Sagebrush blooms yellowFoliage

Pollinators & wildlife

Bees Brown-belted Bumble Bee also Western Honey Bee, Hunt's Bumble Bee, Nevada Bumble Bee
Birds Dark-eyed Junco also White-crowned Sparrow, Western Meadowlark
Butterflies Gray Hairstreak

also Western Tiger Swallowtail, Boisduval's Blue, Strymon saepium +1 more
Polites sabuleti
Also visited by
- Beetles:
  
  Seven-spotted Lady Beetle, Locust Borer +2 more
  Parenthesis Lady Beetle, Agrilus walsinghami
- Moths: Annaphila danistica

Butterflies that use this plant

Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.

Full plant details

Where it grows

Habitat: PrairieThe wild plant community it grows in.
Native range: The Pacific Coast, the Southwest, and the Rockies and southern CanadaUnited States (14): AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY. Canada (2): AB, BC. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
Native distribution: Western Great Plains, west to British Columbia and Baja California. Massachusetts' inclusion on list is based on voucher specimen collected in Middlesex County. The species is very likely not native there.The same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.

Growing conditions

Light: Full sunHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
Moisture: DryThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
Hardiness zones: USDA 3–10 · Canadian 1–9The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
Soil: Dry, rocky soilsThe soils it grows in naturally.
Soil texture: Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
Soil pH: 6.0–8.2The acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
Soil quality: LowHow rich a soil it needs. Many natives prefer lean soil and flop in rich beds.
Water use: MediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
Salinity tolerance: MediumHow well it copes with salty soil, near roads or the coast.
Lime (CaCO₃) tolerance: HighHow well it copes with chalky, lime-rich soil.

Growth & form

Height: up to 9 ft (to 2.7 m)Typical mature height.
Life cycle: PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
Growth rate: SlowA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Shape: Semi-ErectIts overall silhouette.
Root depth: 20+ in (51+ cm)How far the roots reach, a guide to drought resilience and transplanting.

Flowers, foliage & fruit

Type: ShrubWhat kind of plant it is.
Bloom: Jul–NovWhen it flowers.
Flower color: YellowThe bloom color, or colors.
Fruit/Seeds: ripens Jan–DecThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
Toxicity: None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.

Propagation & seed

Cold stratification: Not requiredWhether seed needs a cold, moist spell before it will germinate.
Propagation: Bare root, container, seedHow to start new plants.
Seed: ~2 million seeds per poundNotes on the seed and how to sow it.
Seed spread rate: SlowHow readily it self-sows. Slow or none means well-behaved, not a spreader.
Seedling vigor: LowHow strongly young seedlings establish.
Vegetative spread: SlowWhether it creeps outward or stays put in a clump.