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scabland sagebrush

Scientific Name: Artemisia rigida

Family: Asteraceae

Category: Dicot

Growth: Subshrub, Shrub

Duration: Perennial

Other Names:

       

Scabland Sagebrush (Artemisia rigida)

Artemisia rigida, commonly known as scabland sagebrush or stiff sagebrush, is a flowering plant belonging to the aster family (Asteraceae).

Considerations for Pets

  • This plant is a shrub.
  • Has a strong sage scent

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Artemisia rigida (Nutt.) A. Gray
  • Family: Asteraceae (Aster Family)
  • Common Names: Scabland sagebrush, stiff sagebrush
  • Synonyms: The text mentions Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. arbuscula as a synonym for early sagebrush, dwarf sagebrush, but it is not necessarily a direct synonym for *Artemisia rigida*.

Distribution and Habitat

  • Native to regions including eastern Washington, the Columbia Basin, and adjacent Idaho.
  • Found in semi-arid shrub-steppe environments, volcanic soils, and channeled scablands.
  • Grows in typical moist scabland conditions, sagebrush steppe, and dry Ponderosa pine forests.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Low mounding shrub with a strong sage odor.
  • Characterized by white-gray foliage and white flowers.
  • Low and spreading growth habit.
  • Leaves are 3-forked (trifurcate).
  • Blooms in September-October.
  • Perennial shrub.
  • Deciduous, losing its leaves in the fall.

Ecological Role

  • Important habitat for wildlife species, from birds to mammals to insects.
  • It is described as climax vegetation in the "scablands" of the Northwest.

Further Information

  • USDA Plants Database
  • CalPhotos
  • Oregon Flora Project Atlas
  • E-Flora BC
  • WTU Herbarium
  • Discover Life
  • Montana Field Guide
  • Biolib.cz