prairie sage

Artemisia ludoviciana

 

 

characteristics

Erect herb with silver foliage and woolly heads of tiny tinged with purple white flowers growing in tight clusters. One of the plants that gives prairie its wonderful aroma. Reseeds readily, spreads by rhizomes. Gives way to grasses. While described as a perennial, prairie sage moves around a lot.

A narcotic poison is contained in oil from this plant.

Also known as white sagebrush.

4,048,000 seeds/pound; starts from seed, cuttings.

habitat

Fields, roadsides, disturbed sites.

uses

Foliage and stems are an important food source for a variety of large and small mammals.

Named *man sage* by North American aboriginals who use(d) it as smudge for ceremonies and purification.