by Merilyn Cranford, Somervell County Master Gardener
This plant is an aromatic perennial named for the goddess Artemis. Medicinal and culinary herbs, soft wooded shrubs like the sagebrush of the West, and a treasure trove of silver-filigreed perennials from grasslands and seacoasts around the world all belong to Artemesia.
For prairie gardens the willow-leafed silver sage affords the proper place to begin an exploration of this genus. Tall enough to show in the midst of the grasses or at the side of a pale pink shrub rose, this perennial manages to be pretty yet remains untamed. Wildness is no illusion for the running roots to spread through a garden at a frightful pace. Even so, the slender plumes of frosty gray make this prairie herb among the most visually arresting of silver plants.
When the clumps require weeding, as eventually they will, it is a pleasant task, for the aromatic leaves are the same western “sage” often sold as incense. ‘Silver Queen’, the best known of several cultivars, distinguishes itself with especially white, slightly cut leaves. Many artemesias struggle in the heat and humidity of the South, but this one is foolproof.
So, if you are looking for a native plant that’s easy to grow and maintain, plus one that brings outstanding beauty to your flowerbeds, this one is for you.
Source: “The Moonlit Garden”