Plant this perennial next to your brighter blooms as an accent plant.
Grown primarily for its silver foliage, artemisia is a wonderful accent plant in many configs.
Artemisias come in numerous different foliage shapes, sizes, and heights.
Credit: Denny Schrock
A few well-known artemisias are ‘Silver Mound’ and the herb tarragon.
Use these plants to add texture and subtle color to gardens, containers, and borders.
Artemesias are also extremely versatile and drought tolerant.
Credit: Denny Schrock
You may also know artemisia by one of its common names, wormwood.
Artemisia is also toxic to humans.
Where to Plant Artemisia
Artemisia plantsneed well-drained soils.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Artemisia can also perform well in rock gardens, growing in extremely sharp drainage with extended droughts.
It’s important to note that many species of artemisia spread vigorously by rhizomes or underground stems.
As a result, several types are considered invasive in some regions and should be researched before being planted.
Credit: Jerry Pavia
Tease out the root ball and dig a hole just big enough to accommodate it.
Light
Artemisia plants love sun and dry heat, so give them as much as possible.
Plants are at much higher risk for disease and flopping in part shade.
Credit: Jane Booth Vollers
Soil and Water
For new plants, keep the soil evenly moist until the plants are well-established.
Mature plants are extremely drought tolerant and will need very little supplemental water to thrive.
Keep them in well-ventilated areas and full sun to prevent this.
Credit: Mark Kane
Plant your artemisia start in a medium pot with adequate draining holes and a very porous potting mix.
How to Propagate Artemesia
The best way to propagate artemisia is through division.
Types of Artemisia
Coastal sagebrush
Artemisia californica’Canyon Gray' is a fantastic groundcover.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Coastal sagebrush remains under 2 feet tall and forms a 10-foot-wide mat of fine textured silver-gray foliage.
Zones 9-10
Mugwort
Artemisia vulgarishas a sage-like scent with mint undertones.
Its primary use is in aromatherapy.
Credit: Bob Stefko
Mugwort grows 2-4 feet tall and wide.
The plant flowers from mid to late summer with greenish-white blooms.
Its finely divided foliage stays put, making it a welcome addition to the border and container plantings.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Plant it on a slope in poor soil to prevent erosion.
stelleriana’Boughton Silver') grows only 6-8 inches tall and spreads a foot or more wide.
Its lobed woolly white leaves are ideal for softening the edge of a container or retaining wall.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
It grows 8 inches tall and is hardy in Zones 4-10.
Cut it back after its spring flush of growth to prevent the plant from flopping open midsummer.
It shows off well against most flowers and provides an elegant look to flower borders.
The aromatic leaves are oblong and deeply cut along the edges.
Foot-long panicles of flowers bloom for many weeks.
Excellent drainage and full sun are ideal, although very light shade is tolerated.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Plant close to avoid staking since the tall plants tend to flop.
Salvia
Few gardens don’t haveat least one salviagrowing in them.
Most salvias don’t like cool weather, so plant them outdoors after all danger of frost has passed.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
Veronica
Easy and undemanding,veronicas catch the eyein sunny gardens over many months.
Provide full sun and average well-drained soil.
Regular deadheading extends bloom time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tarragon,A.
Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 22;11(1):4303. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-83752-6.
PMID: 33619315; PMCID: PMC7900198.
