Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis - Shrub,Shrub and Vine Seeds,Web page Navigation - Wyoming Big Sagebrush Page

Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis, also known as Wyoming Big Sagebrush, is a highly aromatic shrub that grows in drier regions of the sagebrush steppe. It typically has low shrub density and little herbaceous cover surrounding the plant. However, it provides food and habitat for various species such as sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, grey vireo, pygmy rabbit, and mule deer. Sagebrush is not a desert plant but is found in the steppe regions that receive 18-40cm of annual precipitation. The infusion of its leaves is used by the Zuni people for treating body aches, as cold medicine, and for treating athlete's foot and fissures between toes. Sagebrush also has several medicinal properties due to the presence of camphor, terpenoids, and tannins. However, its oils are toxic to the liver and digestive system of humans, and care must be taken during any form of internal use. Sagebrush is an important part of the Great Basin habitat, and its conservation is threatened by human settlements, conversion to agricultural land, invasive species, livestock grazing, wildfires, and climate change.