Sand Sage, Sand sagebrush
Artemisia filifolia
Family: Asteraceae or Compositae
What it is like
Common names include sand sagebrush, sand sage and sandhill sage, silvery wormwood.
Artemisia filifolia is a deciduous Shrub growing to 1.2 m (4ft) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.
Height (m): 1.2
Where it is found
Sandy soils in deserts and dry plains.
Central and Southern N. America - Nebraska to Utah, Wyoming, Texas and Mexico.
Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 0
Medicine
Rating: 2
The plant is carminative and stomachic. A tea is used in the treatment of indigestion. An infusion of the plant and juniper branches is used in the treatment of indigestion. A strong infusion of the plant is used as a lotion on snakebites. The plant is also used to treat boils.
Carminative: Reduces flatulence and expels gas from the intestines.
Miscellany: Various medicinal actions that need more clarification.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Other
Rating: 1
The leaves are very soft and have been used as a substitute for toilet paper. It is sometimes used for revegetation efforts on rangeland and coal fields.
Miscellany: A rag-bag of items that are difficult to categorise.
How it is grown
Easily grown in a well-drained circumneutral or slightly alkaline loamy soil, preferring a warm sunny dry position. Established plants are drought tolerant. Plants are longer lived, more hardy and more aromatic when they are grown in a poor dry soil. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.
Propagating it: Seed - surface sow from late winter to early summer in a greenhouse in a very free-draining soil, but make sure that the compost does not dry out. The seed usually germinates within 1 - 2 weeks in a warm greenhouse. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Division in spring or autumn.
Best place to grow: Cultivated Beds;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 3-7
Growth:
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this species, skin contact with some members of this genus can cause dermatitis or other allergic reactions in some people.
This plant can be weedy or invasive. Some reports of weed problems in Nebraska and Wyoming, USA.