We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Gardening

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Silver Mound Artemisia?

By O. Parker
Updated: May 16, 2024
Views: 9,201
Share

Silver mound artemisia is a low-growing perennial that forms a mounded shape covered with fine, silky, silver-gray foliage. As an ornamental, the silver mound artemisia makes an attractive border plant or ground cover. It is drought tolerant and suitable for rocky, poor soil conditions, features that lend themselves well to rock garden specimens. The scientific name is Artemisia schmidtiana. This variety, also known by its cultivar name Nana and the common name satiny wormwood, is the only artemisia that grows low to the ground in a compact, clumping formation.

Silver mound artemisia reaches mature height between 6 inches and 18 inches (about 15 cm to 45 cm) tall, forming mounds from 12 inches to 18 inches (about 30 cm to 45 cm) wide. The foliage is delicate with a silky texture and a matted, wooly appearance on short, woody stems. In late August, small yellow flowers emerge from silver buds under the foliage. The flowers are often overlooked and can be removed to improve the health of the plant and the appearance of the foliage.

This ornamental perennial should be planted in full sun or partial shade. Sandy loam and well-draining, moist soil conditions with relatively poor nutrition will encourage this ornamental to reach its most pleasing shape in optimal health. Wet, heavy soils will cause the roots to rot, and standing water is likely to kill the plant. Soil rich in nutrients will encourage the mound to split apart and grow in a spindly fashion by late summer. Silver mound artemisia is tolerant of rocky soil, heat and drought; in humid or wet conditions, the plant is liable to suffer from stem rot and foliage rust.

The individual clumps of the silver mound artemisia spread in a slow, non-aggressive fashion, unlike other members of the artemisia family that tend to be moderately invasive. When planting a ground cover or border, the individual plants should be spaced from 15 inches to 18 inches apart (about 38 cm to 45 cm). In late summer or early fall, the mound is likely to split apart when planted in a garden or area with good soil and nutrition. To prevent this unattractive feature, the foliage should be cut back to half its mass in summer, before the flowers emerge.

The neutral, silvery foliage is often used as a backdrop for other cool color, flowering perennial plants. Purple, lavender, blue, pink, and magenta stand out against the silver foliage. It is often planted under taller shrubs and trees to form a soft, neutral ground cover.

Share
HomeQuestionsAnswered is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
By healthy4life — On Sep 19, 2012

I have an artemisia plant in my rock garden, and it is so soft! We have mild winters where I live, so mine stays alive year-round.

I decided to use some of it in a wreath around the holidays. The beautiful silver color lent itself perfectly to the theme of the wreath.

I included red holly berries and dark green holly leaves from the tree out back. The soft artemisia was a nice contrast to the sharp holly leaves. I ended up with a wreath covered entirely in things from my own yard!

By wavy58 — On Sep 19, 2012

It's hard to believe that there is actually a plant that does better in poor soil with less water than in good conditions! This might be the plant for people who say that they kill everything they try to grow.

By Perdido — On Sep 18, 2012
@kylee07drg – I have seen silver mound artemisia plants used underneath purple and pink plants, and it looked stunning. The mall in my town has several flower beds out on the edges of the parking lot, and they are covered in silver mound artemisia.

I have seen it planted around pink impatiens, purple pansies, and purple heuchera. I think that all of these plants are pretty hardy, so they can take the potting soil in place of regular dirt.

Since the silver mound artemisia is in a raised bed, I guess the drainage is pretty good. I've never seen one of these plants looking sickly at all.

By kylee07drg — On Sep 17, 2012
I love using ground covers around my taller flowers, because they help keep weeds down. My artemisia plant reduces the number of times I have to go into my garden and pull up the weeds.

It may not spread as much as some ground covers, but if you plant several fairly close together, it won't matter. It's actually good that they don't spread very much, because you have control over how much ground they cover.

Share
https://www.homequestionsanswered.com/what-is-a-silver-mound-artemisia.htm
Copy this link
HomeQuestionsAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

HomeQuestionsAnswered, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.