Artemisia tridentata ssp. vaseyena (Mountain Big Sagebrush)

(Asteraceae)

Mountain Big Sagebrush aka Vasey Sagebrush, Artemisia tridentata covers more space in Utah than any other shrub. This aromatic evergreen shrub grows well from 2'500-10,000 ft in Mountains and their foothills. Particularly liking well drained benches and upper mountain slopes. 

Tolerates a wide range of conditions, very drought tolerant, extremely cold tolerant, and grows well with 8-30 inches of annual precipitation. Often occurring at higher elevation and precipitation zones than Wyoming and Basin big sagebrush. 

This Big Sagebrush variety is preferred wildlife forage, and the first plant you should consider when starting a native yard to increase biodiversity and provide for wildlife. Big game munch on it most of the year, songbirds and small game use it for shelter, and other more delicate plants use it for shelter as well. 

This is our favorite yard sagebrush along with Low sagebrush as it's well mannered, not too tall, stays mostly flat topped, and generally smells nicer than other sagebrush -- Basin Big can smell quite sharp. 

The best host plant for other plant species. 

Collected In: Summit County, Utah

Wild/Nursery: Wild

Seasonality: Evergreen, Autumn bloom

Germination: No pre-treatment required. Sow on the surface or up to 1/8" deep then cover with a thin layer of sand. Surface broadcasting onto snow or soil in the Fall or early Winter and then pressing down or raking the seed into the soil produces the best results. Seedlings are easy to establish but don't tolerate much root disturbance and might need some protection from predators