Artemisia frigida

Artemisia frigida, also called Prairie Sagebrush or called Fringed Sage, is a lovely Western native xeric groundcover. A common species in the short grass prairies and foothills of the Western Great Plains, it makes a great host plant for Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja), which must attach itself to the roots of certain other plants to get the nutrients it needs to grow; seed Castilleja around the base of this sage in the spring. It’s also a great meadow plant when mixed with native grasses like Blue Grama, Little Bluestem, and other prairie natives like Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris punctata), Coneflower (Ratibida), and Santa Fe Phlox (Phlox nana ‘Perfect Pink’). It also complements the silvery colors of cacti, succulents, Lavender, Nepeta, and Yarrow. Performs best in lean, dry, well-drained soils and full sun. Avoid planting in moist to wet soils, where roots may rot. To encourage bushy growth, prune in spring, but leave plenty of live buds on each stem, and do not prune stems all the way to the ground. Foliage may be trimmed back lightly in summer for a neater look, but do not prune in fall. Foliage is evergreen in warm winter climates.