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California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica) in Mother Nature's Backyard |
It’s
fall pruning time and our garden is perfumed by plants recently pruned. Among our favorites is the California
Sagebrush, Artemisia californica. More than any other, the scent of California
Sagebrush spells ‘California’ for many local residents. You can grow this plant – and have trimmings
for garden crafts and cooking – if you’re fortunate enough to live in the
lowlands of Central and Southern California.
California
Sagebrush is endemic (limited in range) to California from Contra Costa County
to northern Baja California, Mexico, its range being limited by low winter
temperatures. It also grows on the Channel Islands, located
just off the California Coast. A plant
of lower elevations (less that 2000 ft; more often less than 1000 ft elevation)
Artemisia californica is an important
member of California’s Coastal Sage
Scrub plant community. It is also found
in the Coastal Strand and lower elevation Chaparral communities, but it’s an
indicator species for Coastal Sage Scrub (CSS).
California
Sagebrush is best categorized as a sub-shrub – a plant with stems that are
woody at the base and herbaceous near the tips. A number of ‘shrubs’ of the CSS are, like
Sagebrush, sub-shrubs. They grow
quickly, becoming established in a year or two at most. Establishing quickly is advantageous in our
climate, which is unpredictable at best.
At
maturity, Artemisia californica can be as much as 4-5 ft. tall and 4-6 ft.
wide. Like many fast-growing native shrubs, it’s not
particularly long-lived; even in nature, 25-30 years is ‘old’ for this species. In
the wilds, fire plays an important role in the growth and development of
Sagebrush communities. Some scientists
believe this species needs regular fires, at intervals of perhaps 20-30 years,
to ‘clear out the old brush’ and allow it to re-establish. The fire interval is likely important; areas
with more frequent fires do not seem to support Artemisia regeneration.
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Young California Sagebrush in the Native Plant Garden at
Madrona Marsh Nature Center |
Sagebrush
plants have many stems from a woody central root crown (see above). The stems are slender and wand-like – an attractive
addition to the water-wise garden. In nature, plants may look rounded – almost
manicured – due to being ‘pruned’ by wild animals like deer and rabbits. The plants aren’t the tastiest thing around –
but they’re better than nothing!
Many
features equip California Sagebrush for life in our mediterranean climate. They have relatively shallow and fibrous
roots, allowing them to utilize soil
moisture efficiently. The roots also
help bind the soil, a characteristic useful in hilly gardens and restoration
sites. California Sagebrush produces two sets of
leaves each year: a larger, greener set in winter/spring and a smaller, grayer
set on side branches in summer (see photo below). This is also a common adaptation in plants
from mediterranean climates. The summer
leaves are very drought tolerant. They
may appear shriveled and dead, but rehydrate and green up quickly with a summer
moisture.
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Wet-season (l) and dry-season foliage, Artemisia californica |
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Flower 'heads' of Artemisia californica (California Sagebrush) |
The
flowers of California Sagebrush are understated (see photo above). They are small, green-gold and resemble
little bells along the ends of branches.
If you look closely, you will realize that the ‘flowers’ are actually flower
heads, typical of the Sunflower family (Asteraceae).
Plants can flower at any time, but summer
through fall is typical in local gardens.
Flowers are primarily wind
pollinated, so they don’t need to be particularly showy. They produce many seeds, which also are
wind-distributed (if not eaten first by birds).
California
Sagebrush is easy to grow in just about any local soil. It thrives in full sun to light shade and is
very drought tolerant. It is moderately salt-tolerant,
but freezing winters will kill it. It gets by fine with no summer water, but looks
better if watered occasionally, when the soil becomes dry. You don’t need to worry about fertilizing
your California Sagebrush – it’ll do fine without any soil amendments.
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Two-year old Artemisia californica after fall pruning |
Plants
look better if pruned in the fall (remember the deer and other browsers). We like to prune when plants are beginning to
leaf out in October. At that time you
can clip with confidence, knowing you won’t harm the plant. You can prune Sagebrush fairly heavily – just be sure to leave
4-5 sets of new leaves/branches on each stem (see photo above). It’s important to prune young plants – even in the
year after planting. A well-pruned plant
will be lush and full; you will need to prune it less as the years go by. You can also tip-prune (pinch off) the
growing branches in spring to achieve greater fullness.
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California Sagebrush propagated by cuttings |
California
Sagebrush can be propagated from cuttings.
We’ve had best success in June or July, with semi-softwood cuttings 6-8
inches long (see photo above).
Some
gardeners use Artemisia californica
as a temporary filler plant, providing cover while slower-growing shrubs
mature. This is a good use, but there’s
so much more to recommend this plant. It’s
a wonderful habitat shrub, providing cover and even nest sites for birds,
lizards and other small creatures. Many
of these same creatures also eat the seeds.
It’s an excellent choice on slopes and other ‘hard to water’ areas,
where it provides hardy habitat. The
only drawback is that this species is not fire-retardant – particular if left
un-watered. If you live in fire
prone areas, plant it away from structures and give it some summer water. Gardeners will also find that few plants grow
beneath Sagebrush. Whether because of
shade or chemicals produced by the plant, the reason is unclear.
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California Sagebrush in Spring |
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California Sagebrush in Fall (feathery wands at the back) |
We
love the look of its feathery foliage, which adds a touch of filmy mystery to spring
and fall gardens (see above). It’s color
and shape provide just the right contrast to other local plants like Buckwheats
and Sages (Salvias). It is a ‘must have’ in any garden that
features our beautiful locally native plants.
If you like the plant, but would prefer a lower growing or smaller form,
the cultivars ‘Montara’ and ‘Canyon Gray’ provide nice alternatives. ‘Montara’ is smaller than the species; ‘Canyon
Gray’ is a low-growing form that makes a great groundcover (see below).
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Artemisia californica 'Canyon Gray' |
But
one of the best reasons to plant Artemisia
californica is its aroma. The scent
is like no other – pungent, clean and oh so California. We’ve heard it called ‘Cowboy Cologne’ and ‘Cowboy
Deodorant’, harking back to days when cowboys encountered this aromatic shrub. You smell it on a warm day, and when you brush
against it. And you can use it to make
potpourri, seasoned vinegars and as a seasoning, adding zing to stews, soups
and more. Both sets of leaves are
aromatic, and can be used (fresh or dried) for cooking and crafts. A wand of Artemisia
adds a special touch to flower arrangements; a bundle of dried stems makes
a good natural room freshener (we suggest putting it in a cloth bag to prevent
a mess). More on making potpourri later
this month (November 2013).
The
unique scent of California Sagebrush is due to a whole palette of plant
chemicals. While produced to discourage
herbivores, protect against infection and help the plant burn better, these
chemicals produce the signature fragrance that we think of as ‘Artemisia californica scent’.
Native Californians used this plant extensively as a ceremonial and
medicinal plant. The plant was often used in ceremonies for
life transitions – and for ritual purification.
Leaves were rubbed on the bodies
of hunters to disguise their scent. Tea
made from leaves was used to treat colds, fevers and to wash wounds. Pounded leaves were used to disinfect cuts
and were also chewed or smoked for cold symptoms. And branches were hung up to freshen the
air. The leaves are also purported to
drive away fleas (early settlers put them in their beds for this purpose). What
an amazing plant!
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