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Fringed Sage Flower Wikimedia Commons
Asteraceae

Fringed Sage Flower

Artemisia frigida

Endurance and prairie spirit.

Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Artemisia
Native to
North America, Northern Asia
Bloom season
Late Summer, Fall
Type
Semi-shrub perennial
Height
8-18 inches
Sunlight
Full sun
Soil
Well-drained, dry, poor
Water
Low
Hardiness
2-8
Lifespan
Perennial

Did you know

  • Fringed sage is one of the hardiest plants on the Great Plains, surviving temperatures below minus 40 degrees.
  • Native Americans burned fringed sage as a ceremonial smudge for purification and spiritual cleansing.
  • The silvery, finely divided leaves are covered in soft hairs that reflect sunlight and reduce water loss.
  • Despite being called sage, it is not in the true sage genus (Salvia) but in the wormwood genus (Artemisia).
  • The small, nodding flower heads are wind-pollinated and produce copious allergenic pollen in late summer.

Color meanings

0

Absence

1

Protection

2

Cleansing

Uses

  • Ceremonial smudging
  • Erosion control
  • Drought-tolerant landscaping
  • Traditional medicine