Big sagebrush
Discuss this plant with the guide — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.
Artemisia tridentata
Native Colorado plant · not on state Lists A/B/C. C-floristic-2020 CO-rules-2025
Valuable native habitat; subspecies and pet evidence need care. Exposure help.
Identification caveat: A broad Artemisia tridentata profile, not a key to its subspecies. The current three photographs are source-identified as subsp. vaseyana (mountain big sagebrush). They do not illustrate every subspecies. Culinary sage and Russian sage belong to different taxa.
Still researching this plant
This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for People, Dogs & cats. Identification and source-photo limits are explained below. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.
Three views of this plant
Source-identified reference photographs; these are not a complete identification key. A source location outside Colorado does not establish local occurrence.
Matt Lavin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Explicit iNaturalist observation taxon and Research Grade community identification; photograph visually reviewed for depicted features. This is source identification, not a new independent botanical determination. Source explicitly identifies Artemisia tridentata subsp. vaseyana (mountain big sagebrush). These photographs represent that subspecies within the requested species.
Downloaded iNaturalist large rendition; downloaded bytes retained unchanged. No local crop, retouching, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.
Matt Lavin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Explicit iNaturalist observation taxon and Research Grade community identification; photograph visually reviewed for depicted features. This is source identification, not a new independent botanical determination. Source explicitly identifies Artemisia tridentata subsp. vaseyana (mountain big sagebrush). These photographs represent that subspecies within the requested species.
Downloaded iNaturalist large rendition; downloaded bytes retained unchanged. No local crop, retouching, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.
Matt Lavin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Explicit iNaturalist observation taxon and Research Grade community identification; photograph visually reviewed for depicted features. This is source identification, not a new independent botanical determination. Source explicitly identifies Artemisia tridentata subsp. vaseyana (mountain big sagebrush). These photographs represent that subspecies within the requested species.
Downloaded iNaturalist large rendition; downloaded bytes retained unchanged. No local crop, retouching, or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop.
Identification
An aromatic evergreen shrub with gray-green foliage, often with three small lobes at the leaf tip. Height, branching and flowering pattern vary substantially among subspecies. A-big-sagebrush
People
The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for people. Missing evidence does not establish safety.
Dogs & cats
The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for dogs or cats. Missing evidence does not establish safety.
Other animals
An important winter food and cover plant for many wildlife species. Livestock use varies with plant chemistry and subspecies; wildlife browsing is not a safe feeding recommendation for pets. A-big-sagebrush
Plants & habitat
CSU includes it among native landscape shrubs for low-water sites. Natural sagebrush habitat supports many dependent animals; an unwanted garden seedling is a different management question. C-native-shrubs A-big-sagebrush
Management & timing
Match the plant and subspecies to the site and avoid excessive moisture. Consider retaining established native habitat before removing shrubs. C-native-shrubs A-big-sagebrush
Evidence scope: Landscape synthesis.
Before taking action
Confirm identification and the requirements of your county weed program. For chemical treatment, follow the current product label, including restrictions around animals and water. S27
References
- C-floristic-2020 — Colorado Floristic Quality Assessment: 2020 Update, Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:27:33+00:00. Locator: Appendix B, Colorado species list: scientific name and native/non-native fields.
- CO-rules-2025 — Colorado Noxious Weed Act rules, 8 CCR 1206-2, Colorado Secretary of State / Department of Agriculture. Accessed 2026-09-07T01:07:48+00:00. Locator: Parts 3.1, 4.1, 5.1; management provisions; effective May 15, 2025.
- A-big-sagebrush — Big sagebrush plant guide, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:33:44+00:00. Locator: Named species descriptions and landscape context; sagebrush subspecies distinctions.
- C-native-shrubs — Native shrubs for Colorado landscapes, Colorado State University Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:33:44+00:00. Locator: Named species descriptions and landscape context; sagebrush subspecies distinctions.
- S27 — 2103 – Colorado Noxious Weeds, PlantTalk Colorado · CSU Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:57+00:00. Locator: List A, B and C management categories.