How To Order: Quantity options listed represent bulk weights. Examples: 1 = 1 lbs, 25 = 25 bs. 
 
Common Name: Wyoming Big Sagebrush
Scientific Name: Artemisia tridentata wyomingensis
Native / Introduced: Native
Main Uses:
~Rangeland
~Wildlife Habitat Improvement
~Wildfire Restoration
Height: 1 - 3 feet
Colors: Silver sage green
Flowering Season: Fall
Soil Types: Well-drained, shallow, coarse to fine textures
Elevation: 2,500 to 7,500 feet
Tolerances: Low soil fertility and some saline
Sun or Shade: Full sun, parital shade
Minimum Precipitation: 7-10 inches
Lifecycle: Perennial
Planting Seed Rate: .5 lbs/ac
Estimated Seeds Per Pound: 1,750,000
Optimal Planting Season: Late fall and winter
Planting Depth: Rough surface or snow to 1/4 in.
Stratification Required: Store in freezer and plant in late fall or early winter to ensure natural stratification
 
Description
Wyoming Big Sagebrush is a long-lived evergreen shrub that is distributed throughout much of the western United States. It is the most drought-tolerant subspecies, able to grow on sites with precipitation ranging from 7 to 20 inches. Wyoming Big Sagebrush is adapted to well-drained, shallow, coarse to fine textured soils on lower slopes, benchlands, and foothills, typically at elevations ranging from 2,500 to 7,500 feet. It can tolerate low soil fertility and weak saline soils.

Although Wyoming Big Sagebrush is not used as cattle forage, it provides good forage for sheep, deer, and antelope. It is an extremely important food and cover species for sage grouse, with nearly 100 bird species depending on the sagebrush ecosystem, as well as reptiles and small mammals like pygmy rabbits. Wyoming Big Sagebrush provides not only forage but also thermal and security cover, making it a valuable species for quality habitat. It is an extremely important shrub for range and wildlife habitat improvement, including wildfire restoration. It is also a valuable species for restoration efforts related to mining and other activities that disturb soil. Overall, Wyoming Big Sagebrush is a versatile and important species that provides numerous benefits to both wildlife and range ecosystems.
 
Resources
NRCS Plant Profile: https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=ARTRW8
NRCS Plant Guide: https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_artrw8.pdf
 
Photo Credit: Matt Lavin