Shrub
Big Sagebrush
Artemisia tridentata
The scent of the West. Silver evergreen structure that anchors a high-desert planting.
- Evergreen
- Native
- Fragrant
- Deer-resistant
Quick facts
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 4–9
- Water
- Very low once established
- Sun
- Full sun
- Size
- 3–6 ft tall × 3–6 ft wide
- Bloom & interest
- Aromatic silver-gray evergreen foliage; inconspicuous yellow flowers in late summer and fall
- Plant type
- Shrub
- Native range
- Native across the Great Basin and intermountain West (NV, UT, ID, WY, CO, OR, WA, CA, MT, NM, AZ)
Why we recommend it
The iconic aromatic silver evergreen of the Intermountain West offers year-round foliage color and wildlife habitat, but demands sharp drainage and no extra moisture.
Best regions: Great BasinHigh DesertFront Range
How to grow it
Watering to establish
Water every 1–2 weeks the first summer only; established plants die from overwatering, so keep them off lawn and flower-bed irrigation.
Pruning
Light shaping only, and only into leafy growth; it does not resprout from bare old wood.
Soil
Deep, well-drained sandy or gravelly soil; tolerates alkaline soil. Poor drainage is fatal.
Pairs well with
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Where to buy
Shop Big Sagebrush from trusted growers. For the best selection of xeric plants, try a mail-order specialist or ask a local independent nursery.
- High Country Gardens (opens in a new tab)Xeric specialist
- Nature Hills Nursery (opens in a new tab)Wide selection
- American Meadows (opens in a new tab)Perennials & seeds
- Etsy (opens in a new tab)Small growers
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