Artemisia 'Silver Lining'

Artemisia 'Silver Lining': Cool Silver Where It's Hot and Dry

Broad, deeply cut silver leaves that look like they were cast in pewter, and they stay that way from spring to fall. 'Silver Lining' is all foliage, all attitude. EVERY CLOUD NEEDS ONE.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Artemisia hybrid
• Common Name: White Sagebrush, Wormwood
• Series: A Proven Winners® perennial
• Height: 30–40 cm (12–16 in)
• Spread: 80–90 cm (32–36 in)
• Flowers: Small buff-yellow flowers on taller stems in early fall. They're minor; this plant is all about the leaves.
• Foliage: Silver-grey, broad and deeply divided, aromatic, looking good from spring to fall
• Features: Rabbit resistant, salt tolerant, does not spread by runners, Penn State Best of Species award (2023)
• Plant Patent: USPP 36,888; Canadian PBR applied for

Where to Plant: Use it as edging along a sunny walk, as a low ground cover in a dry bed, or as a silver spiller in containers. It tolerates salt, so it's a good choice for the strip by the driveway or sidewalk that gets salted all winter.

Companion Plants: Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun' sits in front with two-tone blanket flowers from June to September. Perovskia 'Blue Jean Baby' adds lavender spires at 70 to 85 cm, a soft match for silver leaves. Eragrostis spectabilis brings a native grass at 30 to 60 cm that flowers from July to September. The whole planting wants full sun and good drainage.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in lean, well-drained soil. Rich soil and extra water make artemisia soft and floppy, so skip the compost and fertilizer. Heavy clay should be loosened with grit or the plant set on a slight mound. Water through the first season, then only in a long drought. If you prefer a cleaner look, snip off the flower stems as they appear in late summer. Cut back old stems in spring once new growth shows at the base. It has no running roots, so it stays where you put it.

History: 'Silver Lining' comes from Walters Gardens and is sold as a Proven Winners® perennial, a hybrid of North American native species including Artemisia ludoviciana, the white sagebrush of the prairies. Unlike that parent it doesn't spread by underground runners, and in 2023 it received a Best of Species award in the Penn State perennial trials.

Final Thoughts: It won't run around the yard, the deer won't touch it and drought just makes it shine. LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.