Plant of The Month: Artemisia
Scientific Name: Artemisia ludoviciana
Family: Asteraceae(Aster Family)
Other common names: Wormwood, White Sage, Western Mugwort
Type: 1 – 3 feet, fast growing perennial shrub or groundcover.
NaturalHabitat: Most of North America, from Canada south to Mexico; dry slopes, canyons, prairies,
Deer Resistance: Yes.
Wildlife: Attracts butterflies and other nectaring insects including native bees.
Light Tolerance: Full sun to part shade.
Flowers: July – October, Small yellow-gray flowers that are self-seeding.
Fruit: Small seeds.
Leaves: 2” to 4” narrow leaves with dense fuzzy hairs on top and bottom; very aromatic, pale gray-green.
Water Requirements: Low; drought and heat tolerant; suitable for xeriscape or garden landscape.
Soil Requirements: Well-drained sand, loam, clay, caliche, limestone soils.
Planting Instructions: Space plants 1 ft. apart. Dig a hole at least two times wider than, but the same depth as the root ball in the nursery container. Sides of the hole should be irregular, not smooth. Remove plant from container, taking care to support the root ball. Loosen exterior roots gently with your fingers. If the plant is root-bound and cannot be loosened by hand, the outer roots may be cut in several places. Lift the plant by the root ball and place into the hole. Backfill hole, using soil that was dug out. Do not add any soil to the top of the root ball. Gently firm the soil with your hands, but do not tamp it down. Place 2-3 inches of mulch over the bare soil around, but not touching the base of the plant.
Watering Instructions: Water deeply after planting to settle soil around roots. Then every 7-10 days, as needed, during the first growing season. Before watering, check for soil moisture at a depth of an inch or two at the edge of the root ball. Skip a watering after a rainfall of ½ to 1 inch. Maintain this watering schedule until the first fall. Reduce watering during the cool fall and winter months. In a “normal” year, no watering may be necessary during the fall and winter, but during a dry period, monthly watering may be needed. Second Spring and thereafter: Water monthly only during periods of drought. Once established, natives will survive with little supplemental irrigation.
Operation NICE! Tip: Artemisia provides excellent texture and contrast to darker green foliage. Select areas with poor, dry soils including rock gardens, street and parking medians, and along roadsides. It holds up well to foot traffic and occasional mowing; however, it is not recommended for herb and flower gardens with moist soils where it may become invasive. Artemisia’s sweet-smelling flowers can be used in winter arrangements and wreaths; and its strong aromatic foliage can be used sparingly to season meats and stews. Prompt removal of flower heads can prevent self-seeding. For a thicker foliage, mow in the fall. Use this native plant instead of Dusty miller, a very similar but exotic plant. Artemisia provides protective and nesting habitat for native pollinator bees. Native plant diversity in the landscape encourages a healthy, sustaining habitat for our native wildlife.
Care Instructions are provided by the Native Plant Society of Texas- Boerne Chapter. Our meetings begin at
7:00 pm on the first Tuesday, September-June at the Cibolo Nature Center Auditorium. Our meetings are free
and open to the public and include social time starting at 6:30 pm. Please visit our website
www.npsot.org/boerne for other suggested NICE! Plants of the Month.