Biennial Wormwood

Artemisia biennis

Biennial Wormwood

Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Asteraceae
Genus:
Artemisia
Species:
Artemisia biennis

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Annual | Biennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
4-6 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
Medium
Bloom Months:
may, jun, jul, aug, sep, oct, nov
Bloom Colors:
greenish-yellow, yellow

Native Range

United States: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
dry to moderate
Notes:
Commonly found in disturbed areas and roadsides

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: 5 month outdoor cold, moist stratification

Establishment: Seeds are hand collected in mid September when achenes turn grey and are easily removed from the disk. Seeds are collected in paper bags and kept in a well ventilated drying shed prior to cleaning. A. biennis is a biennial which occupies very sandy soils from low to high elevations, throughout the Pacific Northwest, but is widely introduced elsewhere in the United States as a weed, where it is found in waste places.

Source: npn.rngr.net