Prairie sage

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

Artemisia ludoviciana

Colorado native. S03

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

Identification caveat: Common name white sage also refers to other plants, including Salvia apiana. Do not merge their uses or toxicology.

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.

Artemisia ludoviciana: Dense, silvery foliage with narrow leaves, some divided into slender lobes. — **leaves** — Dense, silvery foliage with narrow leaves, some divided into slender lobes.
Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Wikimedia Commons source file title and species metadata identify the taxon. Visible morphology was checked for consistency, not treated as an independent botanical determination.
No edits to the downloaded image. Wikimedia may have supplied a scaled thumbnail; original and download URLs are recorded separately. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Artemisia ludoviciana: A broad patch of upright silvery stems and narrow flowering stalks in a rocky woodland opening. — **habit and habitat** — A broad patch of upright silvery stems and narrow flowering stalks in a rocky woodland opening.
Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Wikimedia Commons source file title and species metadata identify the taxon. Visible morphology was checked for consistency, not treated as an independent botanical determination.
No edits to the downloaded image. Wikimedia may have supplied a scaled thumbnail; original and download URLs are recorded separately. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Artemisia ludoviciana: A clump on a rocky slope, showing leafy stems topped by narrow branched flower stalks. — **flowering habit** — A clump on a rocky slope, showing leafy stems topped by narrow branched flower stalks.
Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo source and identification
Original record · Original image
Wikimedia Commons source file title and species metadata identify the taxon. Visible morphology was checked for consistency, not treated as an independent botanical determination.
No edits to the downloaded image. Wikimedia may have supplied a scaled thumbnail; original and download URLs are recorded separately. Gallery display preserves the full image; the catalog preview uses a CSS crop.

Recognize

An upright silver-leaved perennial with small, inconspicuous flowerheads. N-artemisia-ludoviciana

Plants & habitat

Spreads by rhizomes and seed, sometimes becoming weedy. Dry, well-drained soil suits it; leave room or manage expansion at bed edges. N-artemisia-ludoviciana

People

The reviewed gardening source does not establish human ingestion safety. 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 for insects and birds. Those benefits do not establish livestock or pet 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.
N-artemisia-ludoviciana — Artemisia ludoviciana — Plant Toolbox, NC State Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:57+00:00. Locator: Description, Attributes, Poisonous to Humans, Problems.

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