Is Big Sagebrush deer resistant?
Artemisia tridentata
Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
Not listed by Rutgers NJAES. Rated deer-resistant by El Paso County CSU Extension, whose list is a single category, mapped conservatively to Seldom Severely Damaged.
About Big Sagebrush
An evergreen shrub that may sit at a foot and a half or reach nine feet, hung with small velvety silver leaves — sweet and pungent to crush, blue-grey when you see them en masse. The aromatic oils keep deer off through the growing season, but be honest about winter: it is a valuable forage plant then, browsed by deer, elk, moose, antelope and bighorn sheep, and a young plant is worth protecting. Most failures start at the point of purchase. Commercial seed of this species may belong to any of three subspecies — Basin, Mountain or Wyoming — so a plant bought blind can sulk wherever you put it. Ask the nursery which one it is. After that the only real risk is water: it is extremely drought tolerant and rots at the root if kept too wet. One siting rule overrides the rest. The volatile oils are flammable enough to make even green plants burn, so keep it well clear of the house in fire country.
Tolerances and uses
- Evergreen
Similar to Big Sagebrush
Other shrubs with the same deer rating.
- Antelope BitterbrushPurshia tridentataSeldom damaged
- Anthony Waterer SpireaSpiraea x bumaldaZones 3–8Seldom damaged
- Apache PlumeFallugia paradoxaZones 6–10Seldom damaged
- Armstrong JuniperJuniperus chinensis 'Armstrongii'Zones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn OliveElaeagnus umbellataZones 4–9Seldom damaged
- Autumn SageSalvia greggiiZones 6–9Seldom damaged
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Every list Big Sagebrush belongs to.
Common questions about Big Sagebrush
- Is Big Sagebrush deer resistant?
- Big Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- Does Big Sagebrush grow in shade?
- No. Big Sagebrush wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Big Sagebrush get?
- Mature height is roughly 108–108 in. Growth rate is moderate.