Big Sagebrush

Artemisia tridentata

Family: AsteraceaeNative: Western North AmericaIdentified: Jul 27, 2026

An aromatic, silvery-grey shrub with woody stems and small, fan-shaped, three-lobed leaves covered in fine hairs.

Light: Full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight daily).
Water: Low water requirements. Deep, infrequent watering while establishing, then relies primarily on natural precipitation.
Growth: Perennial evergreen shrub growing 2 to 9 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide, with a rounded to irregular habit.

Care instructions

Plant in full sun and well-draining soil. Water sparingly once established, as it is highly drought-tolerant. Avoid overwatering and fertilizing.

Full sun (6+ hours of direct sunlight daily).

Low water requirements. Deep, infrequent watering while establishing, then relies primarily on natural precipitation.

Well-drained sandy, loamy, or gravelly soil; prefers neutral to slightly alkaline pH.

USDA Zones 4 through 9.

Perennial evergreen shrub growing 2 to 9 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide, with a rounded to irregular habit.

Late summer to fall, producing small, inconspicuous yellow flower heads in narrow terminal clusters.

Propagated by seed sown in autumn or cold-stratified, or by semi-hardwood stem cuttings.

Susceptible to root rot if grown in poorly drained or overwatered soil. Generally pest-resistant.

Artemisia filifolia (Sand Sagebrush), which features thread-like foliage rather than three-lobed leaves.