coastal sagewort
Artemisia pycnocephala
The dense, white, felt-like hairs covering its leaves act as natural sunscreen, reflecting harsh UV rays and trapping moisture against salty ocean winds.
- Scientific name
- Artemisia pycnocephala
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Asterales › Asteraceae › Artemisia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- grassland
- Habitat
- Coastal sand dunes, beaches, and coastal strand communities.
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide).
- Range
- California coast, Oregon coast
- Size
- 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 inches) tall and wide
- Lifespan
- 2-5 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Invasive plant species (such as iceplant), coastal development, and off-road vehicle or pedestrian traffic destroying dune habitats.
- Safe to approach?
- This plant is entirely harmless and safe to touch, releasing a pleasant, clean sage aroma. When observing, keep a safe distance from the surrounding sand dunes to avoid trampling fragile dune ecosystems and causing erosion.
Artemisia pycnocephala is a North American species of sagebrush in the sunflower family, known by the common names beach wormwood , sandhill sage , and coastal sagewort .
Photo: Ken-ichi Ueda, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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