Plant Type

Broadleaf Evergreen, Shrub

 

Height Range

3-6', 6-12'

 

Flower Color

Yellow

 

Flower Season

Summer, Fall

 

Leaf Color

Grey Green, Grey, Silver

 

Bark Color

Brown, Grey

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Full

 

Water

Very Low, Low

 

Growth Rate

Moderate, Slow

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Rocky

 

Soil Condition

Average, Poor, Well-drained, Dry

 

Soil pH

Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

Meadow, Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish

 

Accenting Features

Fragrance, Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Fall

 

Location Uses

Background, Shrub Border, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Erosion Control, Hedge, Naturalizing

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

Big sagebrush is a Utah native and lives up to its name, growing anywhere from a few to 12 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide (the variability is a result of seed source, available water, soil conditions, and other factors that affect growth). It is densed branched with fine textured, silver- to blue-green, aromatic foliage. Inconspicuous yellow flowers appear July through november. The bark is brown, twisted, and scaly. This may not be the ideal sagebrush for a traditional landscape, but it would work well in a naturally-styled setting. Very aromatic.

Grow in full sun and well drained soil, preferrably a little on the coarse side. Tolerates gravelly-clay and sandy soils. Alkaline tolerant. Doesn't require watering once it is established. Pruning in the late winter before new growth emerges will keep the shrub a little more tidy. Big sagebrush, when planted in ideal locations, will propagate by seed.