Description

Silver sagebrush is an erect shrub about the same size as big sagebrush. Vegetative leaves have a pungent odor. The leaves are alternate, strap-shaped, felty and silvery green. The leaves are not lobed, but are long and narrow with smooth or slightly-toothed margins.

Adaptation

Silver sagebrush grows in the Northern Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, in the intermountain areas and the valley bottoms. It grows on a wide range of well-drained soils associated with grasses in the area of climatic adaptation where the mean annual precipitation is 10 to 14 inches or more. Its moisture requirements are greater than those of big sagebrush.

Establishment

Silver sagebrush increases on rangeland that has been overgrazed. It has potential for use in range seeding mixtures and for soil stabilization.

Management and Care

Not more than 40 percent by weight of the total annual production should be grazed during the growing season to maintain the health and productivity of silver sagebrush. Ordinarily this plant should not be selected as a key management species for cattle and seldom for sheep.

Uses

Silver sagebrush is quite nutritious during the winter months because of the carbohydrates stored in the twigs and stems after dormancy. Silver sagebrush is one of the more palatable species of the sagebrushes and is browsed during the fall and winter by both cattle and sheep. It is a valuable plant for winter range when there is ample grass to go with it. It is used by deer, elk and antelope. Sage grouse are sometimes found in stands of this shrub, especially at lower elevations of its range.