Virginia Tech Dendrology

San Diego sagewort Asteraceae Artemisia palmeri A. Gray symbol: ARPA15
Leaf: Alternate, simple, persistent but drought deciduous, broadly ovate in outline, entire or very deeply divided into 3-5 narrow lobes, mildly aromatic, pubescent, early leaves are large, later leaves are smaller and tougher, appearing on stems that grow from the leaf axils, gray-green above and darker below.
Flower: Very small, yellow-green to pink, flower heads arranged in racemes, appearing in spring to late fall.
Fruit: Small achenes, ripening in December.
Twig: Slender, wispy, glabrous, may be grooved.
Bark: Initially gray, becoming gray-brown.
Form: A multi-stem shrub to 10 feet but more commonly under 3 feet.

Additional Range Information: Artemisia palmeri is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. Download the full-size PDF map.
External Links: USDA Plants Database
All material 2021 Virginia Tech Dept. of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation; Photos and text by: John Seiler, Edward Jensen, Alex Niemiera, and John Peterson; Silvics reprinted from Ag Handbook 654; range map source information