[Mugworts, Sageworts and Wormwoods: The Genus Artemisia West of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]

Louisiana Sagewort, Riverbank Wormwood, Silver Wormwood, Western Mugwort, Western Wormwood, White Sagebrush

Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana

Synonyms: Artemisia diversifolia, Artemisia gnaphaloides, Artemisia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana

Louisiana Sagewort, Riverbank Wormwood, Silver Wormwood, Western Mugwort, Western Wormwood, White Sagebrush: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (Synonyms: Artemisia diversifolia, Artemisia gnaphaloides, Artemisia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana)

Western wormwood growing along the Deschutes River in north central Oregon...........2006
Characteristics:

Upright, aromatic herbaceous plant with numerous flower heads clustered close to the upper part of the main stem. The flower heads are discoid, with 6-45 yellowish disk flowers, depending on the variety. Leaves are entire to deeply parted or divided. Plants are somewhat silvery haired. Flowers from July into October.

Habitat:

Western wormwood is a wildflower that may be found in dry open places.

Range:

Western wormwood is found mostly east of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, but is otherwise common in the western United States.

Leaves of Louisiana Sagewort, Riverbank Wormwood, Silver Wormwood, Western Mugwort, Western Wormwood, White Sagebrush: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (Synonyms: Artemisia diversifolia, Artemisia gnaphaloides, Artemisia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana)

The photo above shows a close-up of some of the stem leaves of western wormwood as seen on the west bank of the Deschutes River at its mouth........October 7, 2006. Note the variablility of leaf margins for this species as well as the dense covering of white, appressed hairs on both surfaces of the leaves.

Ventral leaf surface of Louisiana Sagewort, Riverbank Wormwood, Silver Wormwood, Western Mugwort, Western Wormwood, White Sagebrush: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (Synonyms: Artemisia diversifolia, Artemisia gnaphaloides, Artemisia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana) - Dorsal leaf surface of Louisiana Sagewort, Riverbank Wormwood, Silver Wormwood, Western Mugwort, Western Wormwood, White Sagebrush: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (Synonyms: Artemisia diversifolia, Artemisia gnaphaloides, Artemisia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana)

Inflorescence of Louisiana Sagewort, Riverbank Wormwood, Silver Wormwood, Western Mugwort, Western Wormwood, White Sagebrush: Artemisia ludoviciana ssp. ludoviciana (Synonyms: Artemisia diversifolia, Artemisia gnaphaloides, Artemisia ludoviciana var. ludoviciana)

The 3 photos above show close-up views of some of the stem leaves (ventral leaf: upper left and dorsal leaf: upper right) and inflorescence (lower photo) of western wormwood as seen on the west bank of the Deschutes River at its mouth........September 29, 2007.
Paul Slichter