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Silver sagebrush

Artemisia cana

Last reviewed: August 2026

Silver sagebrush (Artemisia cana)
Photo: (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

24"–48" H × 24"–48" W

Bloom

Aug, Sep

Native to

AZ, CA, CO, ID and 9 more states

Pollinators

wind pollinated

Before you buy

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A rounded, aromatic shrub with narrow silvery-gray leaves and small inconspicuous yellow flower spikes in late summer. Grows in dense colonies on prairie flats and along drainages in sagebrush steppe.

Wildlife value

Foliage is browsed by mule deer and pronghorn, and the dense structure provides nesting and escape cover for grassland birds.

Common questions

How much sun does Silver sagebrush need?
Silver sagebrush grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Silver sagebrush bloom?
Silver sagebrush blooms in August and September.
Where is Silver sagebrush native?
Silver sagebrush (Artemisia cana) is native to AZ, CA, CO, ID and 9 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
What pollinators does Silver sagebrush attract?
Silver sagebrush draws wind pollinated.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

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