Fringed sage

Discuss this plant with the guide — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care.

Artemisia frigida

Colorado native; low-water garden plant. S03

Spreading growth; pet evidence gap. Native status, garden use and noxious-weed class are separate from toxicity. Exposure help.

Identification caveat: Artemisia species differ chemically. Do not infer toxicity or medicinal uses from a different sage or sagebrush.

Still researching this plant

This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for People, Dogs & cats, Other animals. 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

Photos are source-identified examples, not a complete identification key. Check leaves, stems, flowers and fruit together. Locations are not assumed to be in Colorado.

**basal foliage** — Low basal shoots with compact clusters of finely divided silvery-green leaves among dry vegetation.
Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source-supported identification with visual consistency check Photo selection verifies source labeling and visible consistency; it is not an independent specimen determination.
Downloaded source thumbnail; no further pixel edits. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

**flowering habit** — Rounded silvery plant with finely divided foliage and many small yellow flower heads on upright branches.
Jim Pisarowicz · Public domain
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source-supported identification with visual consistency check Photo selection verifies source labeling and visible consistency; it is not an independent specimen determination.
Downloaded source thumbnail; no further pixel edits. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

**mature habit** — Low mound of silvery basal leaves beneath tall, slender pale reproductive stems on a grassy slope.
Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Source-supported identification with visual consistency check Photo selection verifies source labeling and visible consistency; it is not an independent specimen determination.
Downloaded source thumbnail; no further pixel edits. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Recognize

A low, aromatic, silvery native with finely divided foliage and a woody base. F-fringed

Plants & habitat

Forms spreading mats and produces seed. Garden judgment: use where low spreading growth fits, then manage volunteers. F-fringed

People

Human ingestion safety was not established in the reviewed gardening and ecological sources. This is an evidence gap, not proof of safety.

Dogs & cats

Species-specific ingestion effects and exposure thresholds were not established in the reviewed sources. This is an evidence gap, not proof of safety.

Other animals

The Front Range guide records pollen and seed value. Wildlife use does not establish pet or livestock feeding safety. S03

Before taking action

Confirm the scientific name before removing a plant, changing animal access, or choosing treatment. An evidence gap means this review has not resolved the question. It does not mean safe. For listed weeds, consult your county weed program about the requirements for your location; follow the current label for any pesticide. S27

References

S03 — Low-Water Native Plants for Colorado Gardens: Front Range & Foothills, Colorado Native Plant Society / CSU Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:53+00:00. Locator: Plant table: Asclepias speciosa and Achillea millefolium.
F-fringed — Artemisia frigida species review, US Forest Service. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:27:21+00:00. Locator: Description, distribution, hazards, management; see claim locator.

Content revised 2026-09-07 02:43:00Z · Source checks dated separately in the references.