Artemisia Filifolia

Common Name: Sand Sagebrush
Synonyms: Oligosporus Filifolius

Artemisia Filifolia is a shrub that grows almost exclusively in deep sands and requires high exposure to the sun, which indicates its very high tolerance to heat. This species is a large shrub (4’-6’ high and 3-5’ wide) and has identifiable aromatic, fine silver foliage. ⁱThis fine foliage gives rise to its Latin specific epithet, “filifolia.” ⁱⁱThe main site of this shrub, as indicated on the map, is about a 150 mile radius from the four-corners location of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico, and within these regions, the shrub grows in areas of elevation where the annual precipitation ranges between 220mm-600mm.

This shrub blooms during the spring through the fall months and produces small yellow flowers that release a pollen that triggers allergic reactions in some individuals. ⁱⁱⁱThe young branches of this shrub differ from the adult branches in that the young branches are covered with a canescent pubescence while the older stems have lost that and are covered with a dark colored bark. The leaves produces are small (3cm-8cm in length and less than 0.5cm wide).

Artemisia Filifolia does not tolerate heavy soils or shade, but thrives in the sunny deep sands. The seeds ripen by December, emerge in the spring, and mature rapidly. These shrubs provide habitat for small non-game birds and also helps to prevent wind erosion by stabilizing light sandy soils. Also, in some places in Mexico, the leaves of this shrub are used to reduce the effects of intestinal worms and similar stomach problems.

Some of the hazards to this plant include that, after the depletion of many grasses, Artemisia Filifolia is eaten by cattle, domestic sheep, and big game found in the arid desert regions. This shrub contains oils that are toxic to many symbiotic bacteria, but these oils have a great effect on the cattle that eat them. Also, the seeds are not fire tolerant, meaning that once a fire has passed through, the establishment of this shrub is dependent upon the wind-blown seeds from areas that were not affected by the fire. Once established, however, the shrub grows very rapidly. ^ivThis growth is also threatened, however, by the presence of cheat-grass, that is invasive to the lands where this shrub grows. The sagebrush is the most dominant plant life in the Upper Sonoran and Boreal life zones, where the perennial grasses used to thrive before the grazing of cattle and sheep.

ⁱhttp://www.swcoloradowildflowers.com/Yellow%20Enlarged%20Photo%20Pages/artemisia.htm
ⁱⁱhttp://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ARFI2
ⁱⁱⁱhttp://www.fs.fed.us/global/iitf/pdf/shrubs/Artemisia%20filifolia.pdf
^ivhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagebrush

David Cowart, Fall 2007