Sand sage

Artemisia filifolia

Medium to tall rounded shrub from 2-5 ft. tall with distinctive silvery-green threadlike winter-deciduous leaves, flowering May to October. Grows in deep, well-drained infertile sands, rarely in clays; 2,000 to 7,500 ft. elevation. Commonly found with Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), Sand dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus) and other high-desert and semiarid grassland sandy species. Rhizomatous, readily sprouts after fire and disturbance. Used in restoration to prevent erosion of light, sandy soils in Blackbrush (Coleogyne ramosissima), big sagebrush (A. tridentata) and pinyon-juniper communities, as well as for dune stabilization. Utilized by big game in arid regions where other forage is inadequate. Provides cover for small mammals and birds. Important cover for the lesser prairie-chicken. Caterpillar host of the Hera buckmoth.