Nevada State Flower
Sagebrush (common name) Artemisia tridentata (scientific name) Overview Sagebrush became Nevada’s official state flower in 1967. It had long been a symbol of the state, though, having been adopted as a state emblem by concurrent resolution in 1917. It’s a tough, drought-tolerant, native plant suited to Nevada’s weather and geography, which are not hospitable to many types of greenery. The plant’s roots are particularly adapted to Nevada’s dry climate. The deep taproot absorbs water when conditions are dry, and shallow roots spread along the ground to catch water in rainy weather. In serious drought, sagebrush can go dormant and appear dead, but revive when the rains come. The plant’s silvery leaves are fragrant, and small white-and-yellow, tube-shaped flowers appear in clusters near the branches’ ends in late summer or early fall. Though individual flowers are extremely small and not at all not striking, the flower clusters are sometimes dense enough to make them noticeable. New stems are green, though they turn brown with age and become quite stiff, gradually acquiring brownish-gray bark that naturally peels off in strips.  Most plants grow to about 4 feet (1.2 m) tall, though they can become much larger in favorable conditions. Leaves are narrow, not particularly long, and covered with silvery hairs. Though the plants are evergreen, they shed their leaves twice every year in spring and fall as new leaves grow. Close-up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS Duration: Perennial Plant: Upright, branching shrub Mature Height: 1.3–15 ft (.4–4.5 m) Flowering: August-September Flowers: up to .2 in (.5 cm) tubes Flower Color: Creamy white or yellow Leaves: 1/2–1 1/2 in (1.27–3.8 cm) long, narrow, usually with three scallops at the tip Fruit/Seed Color: Black HABITAT Location: Dry, sunny locations, usually desert slopes at 980–9,800 ft (300–3,000 m) Range: California northwards into Canada, eastwards into Nebraska, and southwards to Mexico TRIVIA The plant is very toxic to internal parasites. Native Americans used sagebrush to stop bleeding and to get rid of intestinal worms. Sagebrush is actually toxic to the human liver and digestive system. However, it’s a winter food for wildlife and some livestock.
	Click to enlarge an image Sagebrush Sagebrush in Bloom Close-up of Sagebrush Flowers Sagebrush Bonsai CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Plantae Subkingdom: Tracheobionta Superdivision: Spermatophyta Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Subclass: Asteridae Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Artemisia Species: A. tridentata
	Author: World Trade Press