Carried by 10 nurseries
View Availability at NurseryData provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria
View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora
Artemisia pycnocephala is a species of sagebrush in the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family known by the common names Beach Sagewort, Beach Wormwood and Coastal Sagewort. This plant is native to the western United States coastline extending from Oregon to Central California. It is a leafy perennial wormwood forming clumps about half a meter in height. It extends erect stems covered in dense foliage which ranges in color from light green to nearly white. The fuzzy flower clusters are studded with small lobular leaves and rounded yellowish flower buds. The plant is aromatic but much less so than are other wormwoods. It is restricted to the immediate coast, often in dunes, where it is protected from temperature extremes. There is a popular cultivar known as 'David's Choice'.
Perennial herb
2 ft Tall
3 ft Wide
Spreading
Evergreen
Pleasant
Cream, White, Yellow
Spring, Summer
Deer resistant, Groundcover, Lawn alternative
Full Sun
Low, Moderate
Max 2x / month once established
Easy
Tolerates cold to 30° F
Fast
Generally prefers sand.
Soil PH: 5.0 - 8.0
For propagating by seed: No treatment.
4, 5*, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15*, 16*, 17*, 19, 20, 21, 22*, 23*, 24*
Rocky or sandy soils, coastal strand, from Monterey County northward, no more than a few miles inland
Coastal Strand
Use with other species of coastal strand such as Verbena (Abronia spp.), Beach Morning Glory (Calystegia soldanella), Beach Evening-primrose (Camissioniopsis cheiranthifolia), Cobweb Thistle (Cirsium occidentale), Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus), Coast Buckwheat (Eriogonum latifolium), Seaside Golden Yarrow (Eriophyllum staechadifolium), Gumweed (Grindelia stricta), Lupine (Lupinus spp., and Silverweed Potentilla anserina)
Butterflies and moths supported
0 confirmed and 16 likely
Painted Tiger Moth
Arachnis picta
Orange Tortrix Moth
Argyrotaenia franciscana
Salt Marsh Moth
Estigmene acrea