Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata
Big sagebrush, Big Sagebrush
Photo: parent species Artemisia tridentata · Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata (Big sagebrush) is a native California shrub in the Asteraceae family, recognized by glandular fruits and elevation range diagnostic.
Big sagebrush is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains, southern San Joaquin Valley, south Coast Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Desert Mountains in valleys and sandy to gravelly soils at elevations of 800 to 1,900 meters. Flowering from August to November, this plant produces small yellow-green flowers in clusters less than 30 centimeters long, often surrounded by its own foliage. Growing up to 2 meters tall with multiple woody stems that spread broadly, it forms a dense, rounded shrub. Its leaves are narrowly wedge-shaped, generally 1.2 to 4 centimeters long, creating a distinctive gray-green appearance across the landscape. The fruit is glandular, contributing to the plant's characteristic aromatic quality.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 22 sympatric species; glandular fruits and elevation range diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Valleys, benches, sandy to coarse gravelly soils
Elevation: 800-1900 m
Outside California: to Washington, Montana, New Mexico
Bloom period
Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata blooms Aug-Nov.
How to tell it apart
vs Salvia: Artemisia has tiny clustered flower heads in the sunflower family; Salvia has two-lipped tubular flowers in the mint family with square stems.; vs Ambrosia: Artemisia has fused anthers and typically silvery foliage; Ambrosia has free anthers and often deeply lobed green leaves.; vs Ericameria: Artemisia is aromatic with inconspicuous greenish heads lacking rays; Ericameria has bright yellow daisy-like heads with showy ray petals.; vs Pseudognaphalium: Artemisia has no seed bristles and woody stems; Pseudognaphalium has fluffy white pappus bristles and soft herbaceous stems.; vs Eschscholzia: Artemisia has tiny greenish clustered flower heads; Eschscholzia has large showy orange or yellow poppy flowers with 4 petals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata native to California?
Yes. Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata bloom?
Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata blooms Aug-Nov.
What plant family does Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata belong to?
Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata is in the Asteraceae family, genus Artemisia.
What habitat does Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata grow in?
Artemisia tridentata subsp. tridentata grows in Valleys, benches, sandy to coarse gravelly soils.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Artemisia tridentata subsp. vaseyana — Mountain sagebrush
- Artemisia tridentata subsp. wyomingensis — Wyoming sagebrush
- Artemisia tripartita ssp. tripartita — threetip sagebrush
- Artemisia annua — Sweet annie
- Artemisia arbuscula — Low sagebrush
- Artemisia arbuscula subsp. arbuscula
- Atrichoseris platyphylla — Gravel ghost
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.