Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Artemisia bigelovii is a North American species of sagebrush known by the common name Bigelow sagebrush or flat sagebrush. It grows in the deserts of the southwestern United States. It is native to California (Inyo + San Bernardino Counties), Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. It grows in desert, basin, grassland, and juniper woodland habitats. It is very drought-tolerant and lives in arid regions on sandy and limestone-rich soils. Artemisia bigelovii is a shrub growing from a woody base and reaching a maximum height around 50 cm (20 inches). It has many slender, curving branches with shredding bark and is generally in overall habit. The stem branches and leaves are coated in silvery hairs, giving the plant a gray color. The leaves are less than 3 centimeters long and may end in a point or in three distinct teeth. The inflorescence is a panicle of flower heads containing yellowish disc florets and occasionally a small ray floret. The fruit is a tiny achene about a millimeter long. This species of sagebrush is good winter fodder for grazing animals and it is cultivated as plant cover on recovering rangeland and for erosion control.

Plant type

Shrub

Size

2 ft Tall

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Color

Yellow, Cream, White

Water

Low, Moderate

Plant communities

Pinyon-Juniper Woodland

Birds
Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 5 likely

Confirmed Likely

Animomyia smithii

Painted Tiger Moth

Arachnis picta

Aseptis characta

Acute-lined Flower Moth

Schinia acutilinea