Plant
Prairie Sagebrush
Artemisia frigida
Photo: Jim Pisarowicz, Public domain
Common Names
Aromatic Sage / Wormwood
Habitat
Dry prairies, bluffs, and open plains of the Great Plains
First Observed
1804-09-02
Observed At
Near Springfield, Bon Homme County, South Dakota
Lewis and Clark collected prairie sagebrush specimens as early as September 2, 1804, near Springfield, South Dakota. The sagebrush-covered plains became one of the defining landscapes of the western expedition. Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) and silver sagebrush (A. cana) were also documented as icons of the American West.
Journal Excerpt
Lewis, April 14, 1805: "on these hills many aromatic herbs are seen; resembling in taste, smel and appearance, the sage, hyssop, wormwood, southernwood, and two other herbs which are strangers to me."
Journal References
1 journal entry mentions Prairie Sagebrush
